title: Outcome of a web-based mindfulness intervention for families living with mental illness - A feasibility study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Families living with a person with mental illness can experience distress requiring therapeutic interventions. Web-based mindfulness interventions have shown beneficial health outcomes for both clinical and healthy populations, and may help families cope and overcome barriers that can otherwise hinder a help-seeking process.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop and assess outcomes of a web-based mindfulness intervention for families living with a person with mental illness.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pilot study investigating an 8-week web-based mindfulness intervention with a pre-post design and follow-up after 3 months, with mindfulness as the primary outcome and perceived stress, caregiver burden and self-compassion as secondary outcomes. The study included a sample of 97 persons approached by advertisement in newspapers, newsletters, and online.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed significant improvements in levels of mindfulness post-intervention and at follow-up as well as significant improvements in levels of perceived stress, caregiver burden, and self-compassion both post-intervention and at follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acceptability and feasibility of the intervention were high, outcomes were relevant, and the intervention showed positive and significant results supporting the hypothesis that the intervention may help families cope with a stressful situation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further randomized controlled studies of the intervention are needed to investigate the intervention's effectiveness, including dose-effect studies.
authors.affiliation: a Lund University , Department of Health Sciences , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stjernswärd
authors.affiliation: a Lund University , Department of Health Sciences , Lund , Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hansson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods
keywords: Caregiver burden; compassion; mental illness; mindfulness; stress; web-based support