title: A randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention program for people with schizophrenia: 6-month follow-up.
abstract: Mindfulness-based interventions have been increasingly evidenced to be effective in different mental illnesses but limited in schizophrenia. This single-blind, multisite randomized controlled trial tested the effects of a mindfulness-based psychoeducation group program (MPGP in addition to usual care) versus a conventional psychoeducation group program (CPGP) versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) alone, in schizophrenia spectrum disorders over a 6-month follow-up. In each of the two study sites (outpatient clinics), 69 outpatients with schizophrenia or its subtypes (N=138) were randomly allocated to one of the three study groups (n=46) after baseline measurements and underwent 6 months of intervention. Primary outcomes including patients' mental state and rehospitalization rate and other secondary outcomes were assessed at entry and at 1 week and 6 months. One hundred and thirty-one (95%) participants completed the interventions assigned and one to two post-tests. Multivariate analyses of variance (followed by univariate contrast tests) indicated that the MPGP participants reported greater reductions in their psychotic symptoms (P=0.003) and length/duration of rehospitalizations (P=0.005) at 6-month follow-up. Patients in the MPGP group also reported greater improvements in their insight into illness/treatment (P=0.0008) and level of functioning (P=0.002) than the CPGP and TAU alone at the 1-week and 6-month follow-up. Overall, the findings suggest that MPGP can be useful in improving the short- to medium-term clinical outcomes of outpatients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, not only in terms of their mental state and risk of relapse but also their insight into illness/treatment and psychosocial functioning.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Jilin Medical College, Jilin.
authors.forename: Li-Qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wai Tong
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chien
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lai King
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Life and Social Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Karatzias
keywords: functioning; insight into illness; mindfulness intervention; psychoeducation; psychotic symptoms; rehospitalization; schizophrenia