OBJECTIVE: In recent years, positive effects of religiosity and spirituality on mental health can be found as well documented in the literature. However, very few studies have examined the effects of a spiritually based therapeutic intervention among psychiatric patients. METHOD: For this reason, in this pilot study we examined the effectiveness of a morning body-centered meditation in comparison to a conventional morning walk in regards to subjective well-being and stress coping styles in 44 (26 females) randomly assigned psychiatric in-patients (according to ICD 10). The patients' amount of subjective well-being as well as their coping ability was assessed at the beginning and at the end of a 6 weeks therapy. RESULTS: Thereby we found a significant increase in Religious/Spiritual Well-Being, Awareness and more adequate Coping strategies. This was paralleled by a decrease of psychiatric symptoms. Overall the general assumption of a positive association between spirituality and mental health was affirmed. However, we did not find any differences between the two treatment methods (meditation vs. morning walk). CONCLUSIONS: Both interventions showed the same positive efficacy. Based on these initial results, possibilities and boundaries for the integration of religious/spiritual issues into the treatment of psychiatric patients are discussed.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: In recent years, positive effects of religiosity and spirituality on mental health can be found as well documented in the literature. However, very few studies have examined the effects of a spiritually based therapeutic intervention among psychiatricpatients. METHOD: For this reason, in this pilot study we examined the effectiveness of a morning body-centered meditation in comparison to a conventional morning walk in regards to subjective well-being and stress coping styles in 44 (26 females) randomly assigned psychiatric in-patients (according to ICD 10). The patients' amount of subjective well-being as well as their coping ability was assessed at the beginning and at the end of a 6 weeks therapy. RESULTS: Thereby we found a significant increase in Religious/Spiritual Well-Being, Awareness and more adequate Coping strategies. This was paralleled by a decrease of psychiatric symptoms. Overall the general assumption of a positive association between spirituality and mental health was affirmed. However, we did not find any differences between the two treatment methods (meditation vs. morning walk). CONCLUSIONS: Both interventions showed the same positive efficacy. Based on these initial results, possibilities and boundaries for the integration of religious/spiritual issues into the treatment of psychiatricpatients are discussed.
Authors: Richard J Davidson; Jon Kabat-Zinn; Jessica Schumacher; Melissa Rosenkranz; Daniel Muller; Saki F Santorelli; Ferris Urbanowski; Anne Harrington; Katherine Bonus; John F Sheridan Journal: Psychosom Med Date: 2003 Jul-Aug Impact factor: 4.312
Authors: Ludwig Grepmair; Ferdinand Mitterlehner; Thomas Loew; Egon Bachler; Wolfhardt Rother; Marius Nickel Journal: Psychother Psychosom Date: 2007 Impact factor: 17.659
Authors: J Kabat-Zinn; A O Massion; J Kristeller; L G Peterson; K E Fletcher; L Pbert; W R Lenderking; S F Santorelli Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 1992-07 Impact factor: 18.112