ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Psychiatry 2022 March;63(1):37-42

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6612.21.02156-7

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Feasibility and acceptability of a nurse-delivered mindfulness-based therapy for panic disorder

Kavita THAKUR ^{1, 2}, Abhishek GHOSH ³ ✉, Karobi DAS ^{1, 2}, Pranshu SINGH ³, Swapnajeet SAHOO ³

¹ National Institute of Nursing Education, Chandigarh, India; ² Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India; ³ Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

BACKGROUND: There is potential for testing the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions as an adjuvant to other evidence-based therapies. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a less intensive nurse-delivered mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) among patients with panic disorder.
METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental feasibility study with a pre-/post-design. Seventy participants with panic disorder were recruited in three months. Thirty-seven (52.9%) chose MBT weekly for 4 weeks as an adjuvant to the standard of care (SC). Thirty-three (41.1%) received only SC. The feasibility was studied by the recruitment process, the applicability of the assessment tools, acceptance, attendance, and completion rates of the MBT sessions. The effectiveness parameters were changes in the number and severity of panic attacks and improvements in quality of life (QoL). Outcome was measured 8 weeks after the last session.
RESULTS: Twenty-four (77.4%) participants attended all four MBT sessions. The proportion of drop-out was significantly higher in the MBT group. Major reasons for early drop-out were a relief after first two sessions, distance, and time. MBT group had a significant reduction in number of panic attacks and scores of Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS). The QoL scores improved significantly in the MBT group. The SC group did not show any significant changes in the number of panic attacks and QoL but a significant reduction in the PDSS score was observed.
CONCLUSIONS: MBT is acceptable and feasible for patients with panic disorder. It is promising as an adjuvant treatment for panic disorder.

KEY WORDS: Panic disorder; Mindfulness; Randomized clinical trials