Identifying Therapeutic Factors in an 8-Week (30 Hour) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program

Identifying Therapeutic Factors in an 8-Week (30 Hour) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program

Since it's introduction in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has become a respected adjunct to conventional treatment for patients suffering from many diverse chronic ailments. Three decades of research have documented it's benefits, but few papers have focused on identifying which particular aspect of MBSR directly correlates with it's degree of therapeutic efficacy. This study will use 7 well validated questionnaires to compare participants responses prior to, and following completion of an eight-week MBSR program at the North York General Hospital, as well as follow-up results at 1 month and 1 year post completion of the MBSR group.

As above

Inclusion Criteria:

• over 18 years old
• suffer from a chronic health problem
• referred by their physician

Exclusion Criteria:

• acute illness (physical or psychiatric)
• suicidal
• problem use of alcohol or other substances
• inability to do one hour of daily homework
• inability to attend all 8 sessions