Skip to main content
. 2019 Mar 27;2019(3):CD011518. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011518.pub2

Shapiro 2003.

Methods RCT
Follow‐up: 9 months postintervention
Participants Inclusion criteria:

  • female

  • age 18–80

  • have a history of stage II breast cancer

  • currently in remission

  • within 2‐year post‐treatment


Exclusion criteria: none stated
Participant demographics:

  • N = 63 randomised

  • number of months post‐treatment: range 2 to 25 months (mean = 13.4, SD = 6.9)

  • age: range 38 to 77 years (mean = 57, SD = 9.7)


Country:

  • USA
Interventions (1) MBSR intervention

  • consisting of 6 weekly 2‐h sessions and 1, 6‐h silent retreat

  • participants received training in the following meditative practices (adapted from Kabat‐Zinn)

    • sitting meditation

    • body scan

    • Hatha yoga

  • didactic material was presented on the psychological and physiological effects of stress


(2) usual care

  • no formal or structured intervention or instruction

  • participants should 'freely choose' which stress management techniques to engage in each week (e.g. talking to a friend,exercise, and taking a warm bath)

  • participants received a workbook including support resources available in the community, poetry, and a diary for journaling
Outcomes Outcomes relevant to this review:

  • depression (BDIa)

  • anxiety (STAI)a

  • quality of life (FACT‐B)a

  • Profile of Mood States Scale (POMS)a


Outcomes were assessed at:

  • baseline

  • end of intervention

  • 3 months post‐intervention

  • 9 months post‐intervention
Funding National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD (grant number: 1 RO3 CA83342‐01)
Declarations of interest The authors indicated no potential conflicts of interest.
Notes aNo means or SD are reported (query to author unsuccessful)
Risk of bias
Bias Authors' judgement Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias) Unclear risk No information provided
Allocation concealment (selection bias) Unclear risk No information provided
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) 
 All outcomes High risk Blinding is not feasible in this context
Blinding (outcome assessment patient‐reported outcomes) High risk Blinding is not feasible in this context
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) 
 All outcomes High risk 49 participants (78%) completed the 9‐month follow‐up assessment; no reasons for discontinuation given
Selective reporting (reporting bias) High risk Data reported not usable for meta‐analysis, query to author unsuccessful
Other bias Low risk None identified