Changes in Depressive Symptoms Following Mindfulness Training in Female Patients With Abdominal or Abdominopelvic Cancer: A Preliminary Non-Randomized Controlled Study.

Abstract

Objectives: To examine whether a brief mindfulness training program was associated with changes in depressive symptoms among female patients with cancer, to explore potential psychological processes related to symptom change, and to examine differences in pre-to post-training changes according to baseline psychological risk profiles.

Methods: This exploratory non-randomized controlled study included 60 female patients with cancer recruited from a single hospital, comprising 49 patients with cervical cancer (81.67%), six with colorectal cancer (10.00%), and five with ovarian cancer (8.33%). According to clinical scheduling feasibility and training-cohort availability, they were allocated to either a mindfulness training group (n = 30) or a minimal-contact waitlist control group (n = 30). The mindfulness group received a 4-week mindfulness training program, whereas the control group attended a single mindfulness lecture during the same period. Participants were assessed at baseline before the training (T1) and immediately after the 4-week intervention period (T2) using measures of trait mindfulness, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, positive and negative affect, and depressive symptoms.

Results: Following the training, the mindfulness group demonstrated a reduction in depressive symptoms, negative affect, and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies in comparison to the control group. Concurrently, the mindfulness group experienced enhancements in mindfulness, positive affect, and adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. Exploratory mediation analyses suggested that the training effects on depressive symptoms and negative affect were statistically accounted for by reductions in maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies. The highly exploratory latent profile analysis identified provisional baseline psychological profiles and profile-related patterns of observed change within the mindfulness group.

Conclusions: This study suggests that mindfulness training is an effective approach to relieve depressive symptoms in female patients with cancer. These preliminary findings require confirmation in adequately powered randomized controlled trials with active control conditions and longer-term follow-up.

Trial registration: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), registration number: [ChiCTR2500110223], registered on 2025-10-10.