Sara Ahola Kohut1,2, Jennifer Stinson2,3, Cleo Davies-Chalmers3, Danielle Ruskin1,4, Margaret van Wyk3. 1. 1 Department of Psychology, Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto, Canada . 2. 2 Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto , Toronto, Canada . 3. 3 Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto, Canada . 4. 4 Department of Psychology, York University , Toronto, Canada .
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a promising strategy for individuals with a chronic illness, given their versatility in targeting both physical and mental health outcomes. However, research to date has focused on adult or community-based populations. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review and critically appraise MBIs in clinical pediatric samples living with chronic physical illness. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches were conducted by a Library Information Specialist familiar with the field by using EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EBM Reviews databases. Study Eligibility, Participants, and Interventions: Published English peer-reviewed articles of MBIs in clinical samples of children and adolescents (3-18 years) with chronic physical illness. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Two reviewers independently selected articles for review and extracted data. Results are narratively described, and the reporting quality of each study was assessed via the STROBE Checklist. RESULTS: Of a total 4710 articles, 8 articles met inclusion criteria. All studies were small (n < 20, except 1 study of n = 59), included only outpatient adolescent samples, and focused on feasibility and acceptability of MBI; only 1 study included a comparison group (n = 1). No studies included online components or remote attendance. All studies found that MBI was acceptable to adolescents, whereas feasibility and implementation outcomes were mixed. Many studies were underpowered to detect significant differences post-MBI, but MBI did demonstrate improvements in emotional distress in several studies. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings: The literature on MBIs is preliminary in nature, focusing on adapting and developing MBI for adolescents. Although MBIs appear to be a promising approach to coping with symptoms related to chronic illness in adolescents, future research with adequate sample sizes and rigorous research designs is warranted.
BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a promising strategy for individuals with a chronic illness, given their versatility in targeting both physical and mental health outcomes. However, research to date has focused on adult or community-based populations. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review and critically appraise MBIs in clinical pediatric samples living with chronic physical illness. DATA SOURCES: Electronic searches were conducted by a Library Information Specialist familiar with the field by using EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EBM Reviews databases. Study Eligibility, Participants, and Interventions: Published English peer-reviewed articles of MBIs in clinical samples of children and adolescents (3-18 years) with chronic physical illness. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Two reviewers independently selected articles for review and extracted data. Results are narratively described, and the reporting quality of each study was assessed via the STROBE Checklist. RESULTS: Of a total 4710 articles, 8 articles met inclusion criteria. All studies were small (n < 20, except 1 study of n = 59), included only outpatient adolescent samples, and focused on feasibility and acceptability of MBI; only 1 study included a comparison group (n = 1). No studies included online components or remote attendance. All studies found that MBI was acceptable to adolescents, whereas feasibility and implementation outcomes were mixed. Many studies were underpowered to detect significant differences post-MBI, but MBI did demonstrate improvements in emotional distress in several studies. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings: The literature on MBIs is preliminary in nature, focusing on adapting and developing MBI for adolescents. Although MBIs appear to be a promising approach to coping with symptoms related to chronic illness in adolescents, future research with adequate sample sizes and rigorous research designs is warranted.
Authors: Nicholas Chadi; Elli Weisbaum; Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise; Sara Ahola Kohut; Christine Viner; Miriam Kaufman; Jake Locke; Dzung X Vo Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2018-08-28