The effect of mindfulness group counseling on the anxiety of pregnant women exposed to domestic violence: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

Background: Violence against women has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a major public health concern worldwide. Research shows that Domestic violence is associated with a high rate of psychological problems, including anxiety. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness group counseling on the anxiety of pregnant women exposed to Domestic violence.

Methods: this quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-post intervention design with follow-up, without a control group in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. Initially, 108 pregnant women between 14 and 26 weeks gestation were recruited using cluster sampling from four prenatal clinics. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing exposure to domestic violence and anxiety levels. From these, 40 women with documented experience of domestic violence and mild to moderate anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory scores between 8 and 25) were eligible and enrolled. The intervention comprised eight weekly mindfulness-based group counseling sessions, each lasting 120 min, focusing on present-moment awareness, breathing exercises, and meditation. Anxiety was measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and four weeks after intervention using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Data analysis employed SPSS version 16, with significance set at P < 0.05.

Results: The results showed that the use of mindfulness group counseling significantly reduced the mean score of anxiety. The mean score of anxiety before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention, and 4 weeks after the intervention (follow-up) obtained 13.63 ± 4.63, 8.08 ± 4.19, and 7.42 ± 4.00 respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: Mindfulness-based group counseling appears to be an effective intervention for reducing anxiety in pregnant women experiencing domestic violence. Integrating mindfulness programs into prenatal care services may offer a viable non-pharmacological approach to mental health support in this population. Further rigorous randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm these findings and establish long-term benefits.

Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IR.SSU. REC.1398.230.Date of registration: 28/01/2020.