Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Perceived Stress and Care Burden of Mothers with Children with Cancer

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness based cognitive therapy on perceived stress and care burden of mothers with children with cancer. The research method was quasi-experimental and of pre-test, post-test with a control group type. For this purpose, 24 mothers with cancer children in Omid Hospital in Isfahan in 2000 who had entry criteria and willingness to participate in the study were selected and randomly assigned to two experimental (12 subjects) and control (12 subjects) groups. Subjects in two groups, responded to research tools before and after intervention, and one month later, in the follow-up phase: Cohen et all Perceived Stress. (1983) and Zarit et al Care Burden (1988). The experimental group received eight 90-minute of mindfulness based cognitive therapy sessions. No intervention was carried out on the control group. Multivariate covariance analysis was used to analyze the data. The findings indicated a reduction in perceived stress and care burden in the experimental group compared to the control group. According to the findings, mindfulness based cognitive therapy can be used to decrease stress and anxiety and to increase care in mothers with cancer children.