Investigating the Effectiveness of Virtual Mindfulness-based Stress Training in on Reducing the Anxiety of Adolescents in Rehabilitation Centers during the COVID-19

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Psychology, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness interventions were shown to be effective in reducing perceived stress in several conditions. These effects were also found in online mindfulness-based training, especially in teenagers. The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of virtual mindfulness-based stress training in reducing the anxiety of adolescents in rehabilitation centers during the COVID-19.
Methods: This is a semi-experimental study with a pre-test and posttest design with a control group on 30 teenagers of Zahedan Prison rehabilitation centers from September 2019 to December 2019. The sampling method was simple random using Random Allocation software, so that among the teenagers, 30 people were randomly allocated into an intervention group (with virtual mindfulness training n=15) and control group (with no intervention n=15). The participants completed the STAI-Y anxiety questionnaire one day before and 8 weeks after the intervention. Statistical analysis of the data was done through SPSS 23 software using ANCOVA test.
Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the control and intervention groups (P=0.001) in such a way that stress training based on mindfulness in a virtual way had a direct and significant effect on reducing anxiety.
Conclusion: Considering that teenagers are a vulnerable group in the society, mindfulness training in a virtual way is a suitable approach to reducing subsequent harm, including anxiety.

Keywords


Creswell C, Waite P, Hudson J. Practitioner Review: Anxiety disorders in children and young people–assessment and treatment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2020 Jun;61(6):628-43. 
Bandelow B, Reitt M, Röver C, Michaelis S, Görlich Y, Wedekind D. Efficacy of treatments for anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis. International clinical psychopharmacology. 2015 Jul 1;30(4):183-92.
Darvishi E, Golestan S, Demehri F, Jamalnia S. A cross-sectional study on cognitive errors and obsessive-compulsive disorders among young people during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019. Activitas Nervosa Superior. 2020 Dec;62:137- 42.
Gili M, Castellví P, Vives M, de la Torre-Luque A, Almenara J, Blasco MJ, Cebrià AI, Gabilondo A, Pérez-Ara MA, Miranda-Mendizabal A, Lagares C. Mental disorders as risk factors for suicidal behavior in young people: A meta-analysis and systematic review of longitudinal studies. Journal of affective disorders. 2019 Feb 15;245:152-62.
Vizard T, Sadler K, Ford T, Newlove- Delgado T, McManus S, Marcheselli F, Davis J, Williams T, Leach C, Mandalia D, Cart-Wright C. Mental health of children and young people in England. Health and Social Care Information Centre. 2020 Oct 13:1-53.
Ye X, Bapuji SB, Winters SE, Struthers A, Raynard M, Metge C, Kreindler SA, Charette CJ, Lemaire JA, Synyshyn M, Sutherland K. Effectiveness of internet- based interventions for children, youth, and young adults with anxiety and/or 
depression: a systematic review and meta- analysis. BMC health services research. 2014  D e c;14 (1):1-9.
Solmi M, Radua J, Olivola M, Croce E, Soardo L, Salazar de Pablo G, Il Shin J, Kirkbride JB, Jones P, Kim JH, Kim JY. Age at onset of mental disorders worldwide: large-scale meta-analysis of 192 epidemiological studies. Molecular psychiatry. 2022 Jan;27(1):281-95.
Cohen Kadosh K, Basso M, Knytl P, Johnstone N, Lau JY, Gibson GR. Psychobiotic interventions for anxiety in young people: a systematic review and meta-analysis, with youth consultation. Translational psychiatry. 2021 Jun 16;11(1): 352.
Carter T, Pascoe M, Bastounis A, Morres ID, Callaghan P, Parker AG. The effect of physical activity on anxiety in children and young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2021 Apr 15;285:10-21.
Bear HA, Edbrooke-Childs J, Norton S, Krause KR, Wolpert M. Systematic review and meta-analysis: outcomes of routine specialist mental health care for young people with depression and/or anxiety. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2020 Jul 1;59(7):810 - 41.
Niedzwiedz CL, Knifton L, Robb KA, Katikireddi SV, Smith DJ. Depression and anxiety among people living with 
and beyond cancer: a growing clinical and research priority. BMC cancer. 2019 D e c;19 (1):1- 8 .
Bossi F, Zaninotto F, D’Arcangelo S, Lattanzi N, Malizia AP, Ricciardi E. Mindfulness-based online intervention increases well-being and decreases stress after  Covid-19  lockdown.  Scientific reports. 2022 Apr 20;12(1):6483.
Khoury B, Sharma M, Rush SE, Fournier C. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. J Psychosom Res. 2015;78(6):519- 28. PMID: 25818837 doi: 10.1016/j. jpsychores.2015.03.009Effectiveness of virtual mindfulness-based stress training Shahreki Shahreki S et al. psychologyj.tabrizu.ac.ir/article_3966. html
Gholipour, Fatemeh Zahra. (2016). Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment training on reducing anxiety, depression and stress of anxious female students in Qaimshahr city. Quarterly Journal of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Volume 3, Number 3, 133 -125.
Khanipour, Hamid, Mohammadkhani, Parvaneh, Tabatabai, Saeed, (1390), Thought control strategies and anxiety: predictors of morbid worry in non-clinical samples, Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Volume 5, Number 2, pp. 178-173. https:// www.sid.ir/paper/129756/fa
Rabiee M, Kazemi Malek Mahmodi S, Kazemi Malek Mahmodi S. The effect of music on the rate of anxiety among hospitalized children. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences. 2007;9(3):59-64. Doi: http://goums.ac.ir/ journal/article-1-292-fa.html
Roohy GR, Rahmany A, Abdollahy AA, Mahmoody GhR. The effect of music on anxiety level of patients and some of physiological responses before abdominal surgery. Journal of Gorgan University of Medical Sciences. 2005;7(1):75-8. Doi: ht t p://gou m s.a c.i r/jou r nal /a r t icle -1-18 -fa. html
Hosseini S., Esmati-Moghadam M., Dehnukhalji H., Soltani-Rabat S., Mohammadi A. Investigating the effect of mindfulness-based stress management training on anxiety and depression of female students, Journal=Studies in Psychology and Educational Sciences, number=4, year=1395.65 - 73.
Sattari, Kafashzadeh M. The effect of mindfulness method on exam anxiety of secondary school girls in Saveh city. Scientific  journal  of  education  and evaluation (quarterly). 2015;8(31):25-36. https://jinev.tabriz.iau.ir/article_518877. h
Hofmann SG, Gómez AF. Mindfulness- Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2017;40(4):739-49.[pubmed: 29080597] DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2017.08.0 08 
van Son J, Nyk líček I, Pop VJ, Blon k MC, Erdtsieck RJ, Pouwer F. Mindfulness- based cognitive therapy for people with diabetes and emotional problems: long- term follow-up findings from the DiaMind randomized controlled trial. J Psychosom Res. 2014;77(1):81- 4.[pubmed: 24913347] DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychore s.2014.03.013 
Baer R. Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review. Clinical Psychology: Science and P r a ct ice. 20 03;10:125 - 43. DOI:10.1093/ cl i p s y.b pg 015
Goldin PR, Gross JJ. Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on emotion regulation in social a n x iet y d isorde r. Emot ion. 2010;10 (1):83 - 91. [pubmed: 20141305] DOI: 10.1037/ a0018441