Effect of online mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on psychological distress of perioperative 0-II breast cancer patients

<title>Abstract</title> <p> <bold>Purpose</bold> Traditional offline Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is poorly accessible for improving perioperative psychological distress in early-stage breast cancer patients, and the efficacy and sustained effect of online MBSR for this population remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an 8-week online MBSR intervention on psychological distress in patients with stage 0–II breast cancer, and to compare its efficacy with routine health education to provide a feasible psychological intervention strategy. <bold>Methods</bold> A total of 102 perioperative patients with stage 0–II breast cancer were screened, and 70 eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the MBSR group (n = 35) or the active control (AC) group (n = 35). The MBSR group received an 8-week online MBSR intervention combined with routine breast cancer health education, whereas the AC group received equivalent-duration health education alone. Clinical assessments were performed at baseline (T ₀ ), post-intervention (week 8, T ₁ ), and follow-up (week 16, T ₂ ). <bold>Results</bold> Compared to the AC group, participants in the MBSR group showed significant reductions in anxiety ( <italic>P</italic>  = 0.011), sleep disturbances ( <italic>P</italic>  = 0.013), and fear of cancer recurrence ( <italic>P</italic>  = 0.002) after the intervention. Although no significant superiority was observed in depression scores compared to the AC group, the MBSR group demonstrated advantages across multiple efficacy indicators, such as percentage change, improvement difference, and clinical response rate. Furthermore, MBSR participants exhibited enhanced mindfulness levels (P &lt; 0.001), which was sustained during follow-up. <bold>Conclusion</bold> Online MBSR is a potentially effective psychological intervention that can alleviate anxiety and depression in patients with stage 0-II breast cancer, reduce psychological distress, and help patients transition more smoothly into the post-treatment survivorship phase. <bold>Trial registration number and date</bold> ChiCTR2400079439, 03/01/2024. </p>