Mindfulness-based cognitive group therapy for women with breast and gynecologic cancer: a pilot study to determine effectiveness and feasibility

Purpose Group-based mindfulness training is frequently described in psycho-oncology literature, but little is known of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). We investigated the effectiveness and acceptability of MBCT for women with breast and gynecologic cancer. Methods Fifty women were recruited to participate in eight weekly 2-h mindfulness sessions. Outcomes of distress, quality of life (QOL), post-traumatic growth, and mindfulness were assessed pre-intervention, post-intervention, and again 3 months later using validated measures. Data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVAs with a Bonferroni correction. Participant satisfaction and evaluation were also assessed. Results Forty-two women completed the program, and complete data were available for 36 women. Significant improvements with large effect sizes (ηρ 2 ) were observed for distress ( P