Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as an Intervention Among Family Caregivers of Persons with Neurocognitive Disorders

Abstract

Providing care for a frail older adult who is suffering from dementia has been described as a stressful experience that may erode psychological well-being and physical health of caregivers. The present study investigated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), among older family caregivers of persons with neurocognitive disorders, compared with an intervention based on progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Participants were randomly assigned to either MBSR or PMR (n = 28). The MBSR group showed significantly greater reductions in self-reported levels of depression and isolation from pre- to post-intervention, and those changes remained significant at 8 weeks post-intervention. Both groups showed similar decreases in levels of perceived stress, cortisol awakening response, daily average cortisol, and in resting systolic blood pressure from pre- to post-intervention. Results suggest that MBSR and relaxation-based interventions may both be effective for caregivers, however, further research, employing waitlist control participants will be necessary for unambiguous interpretation of the present results.