The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Improve Anxiety Symptoms and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients

Breast cancer patients often experience anxiety, impacting their Quality of Life (QOL) . Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a 3rd generation psychotherapy from CBT combined with MBSR where mindfulness methods are carried out in a structured and scheduled manner, able to provide a pause between the stressor and the automatic response it causes. This study aimed to assess MBCT's effectiveness in alleviating anxiety and enhancing QOL in Stage III breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, with mild-moderate anxiety disorders. The experimental research, conducted at Moewardi General Hospital Surakarta from March to June 2023, employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. Thirty subjects were divided into intervention (MBCT) and control (psychoeducation) groups. Participants completed demographic forms, disease history, and assessments using the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale (HADS-A) and European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). There was a significant improvement in HADS-A scores in both groups (P