Effect of Mindfulness-based Metacognitive Skills Training on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Well-being in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suffer from a variety of psychological problems, including depression, anxiety, and stress. This study aimed to examine the effect of mindfulness-based metacognitive skills training on depression, anxiety, stress, and sense of well-being in patients with SLE.

This randomized clinical trial with pre-test/post-test design was carried out in 60 patients with SLE attending Babol Shahid Beheshti Nephrology Clinic, 2018. They were randomly divided into two groups (n=30 per group). The experimental group received weekly sessions of mindfulness-based metacognitive skills training (1 hr/ 8 weeks), while the control group did not receive any intervention. The patients’ socio-demographic information was recorded and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWB) were administered. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods including generalized estimator equations with autoregressive correlation structure were applied in SPSS V24.

In experimental group, the mean scores for depression, anxiety, and stress significantly changed after the intervention (P=0.001). In this group, the post-intervention mean score for well-being also significantly improved (P=0.006). Compared with the experimental group, the control group was not found with any significant changes in depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being.

Mindfulness-based metacognitive skills may improve depression, anxiety, stress, and sense of well-being in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.