University Research Finds That Meditation Can Lessen Depression Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Research has shown that 50 percent of all breast cancer survivors suffer from depression. But researchers at the University of Missouri have found that a training program that incorporates meditation, yoga, and physical awareness can reduce depression rates in breast cancer survivors.

The technique called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction includes group sessions for a period of eight to 10 weeks. Participants practice meditation and learn stress coping techniques.

One of the authors of the study, Jane Armer, a professor of nursing at the University of Missouri, stated, “Post diagnosis, breast cancer patients often feel like they have no control over their lives. Knowing that they can control something — such as meditation — and that it will improve their health, gives them hope that life will be normal again.”

Dr. Armer is a graduate of Goshen College in Indiana. She holds a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and a Ph.D. from the University of Rochester.

The study, “Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Health Among Breast Cancer Survivors,” was published in the December 2011 issue of the Western Journal of Nursing Research.