The Effectiveness of Mindfulness and Biofeedback-Relaxation Training on Anxiety, Depression and Dynamic and Static Balance in the Elderly Women with Mild Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are psychological problems and lack of balance and stability are common physical problems regarding elderly’s health, which can affect other aspects of their health. The current study aimed to determine the effect of mindfulness training and bio-relaxation feedback on anxiety, depression and dynamic and static balance in the older women with mild depression and anxiety. The present study a quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design with control group. The statistical population included all elderly women of nursing homes located in distinct 1, Tehran, Iran in 2018, among whom 30 (65-75 years) were selected using purposive sampling method and eligibility criteria, and divided into three equal 10-membered groups of mindfulness, biofeedback-relaxation and control according to their depression score in pre-test phase. Used befor and after the interventions were Beck’s anxiety questionnaire, Beck’s depression questionnaires for Iranian elderly and balance tests. Mindfulness training and biofeedback-relaxation groups performed 12 30-minute sessions (3 sessions a week) of their tasks. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANCOVA in SPSS-22. The results indicated that anxiety, depression and dynamic balance in mindfulness and biofeedback-relaxation groups and static and dynamic balance variable in the biofeedback-relaxation group had a significant improvement. Likewise, there was a significant difference between mindfulness and control groups, as well as between biofeedback-relaxation and control groups in terms of anxiety and depression mindfulness and biofeedback-relaxation training are suggested to be applied as a supplementary program to improve balance and psychological factors in the elderly.