title: Distress improves after mindfulness training for progressive MS: A pilot randomised trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to effectively reduce anxiety, depression and pain in patients with chronic physical illnesses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the potential effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a specially adapted Skype distant-delivered mindfulness intervention, designed to reduce distress for people affected by primary and secondary progressive MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty participants were randomly assigned to the eight-week intervention (n = 19) or a waiting-list control group (n = 21). Participants completed standardised questionnaires to measure mood, impact of MS and symptom severity, quality of life and service costs at baseline, post-intervention and three-month follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Distress scores were lower in the intervention group compared with the control group at post-intervention and follow-up (p < 0.05), effect size -0.67 post-intervention and -0.97 at follow-up. Mean scores for pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and impact of MS were reduced for the mindfulness group compared with control group at post-therapy and follow-up; effect sizes ranged from -0.27 to -0.99 post-intervention and -0.29 to -1.12 at follow-up. There were no differences in quality-adjusted life years, but an 87.4% probability that the intervention saves on service costs and improves outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mindfulness intervention delivered through Skype video conferences appears accessible, feasible and potentially effective and cost-effective for people with progressive MS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, City University, London, UK angeliki.bogosian.1@city.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogosian
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chadwick
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Windgassen
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Economics of Mental and Physical Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCrone
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Economics of Mental and Physical Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mosweu
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silber
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moss-Morris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000523:psychology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000069350:Telerehabilitation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Multiple sclerosis; anxiety; depression; distress; mindfulness; pilot randomised control trial; progressive