Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility: efficacy study.
OBJECTIVE
To present and determine the impact of the Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility (MBPI).


DESIGN
Controlled clinical trial.


SETTING
University research unit.


PATIENT(S)
Fifty-five infertile women completed the MBPI, and 37 infertile women were assigned to a control group.


INTERVENTION(S)
The MBPI includes 10 weekly sessions, in a group format, with a duration of about 2 hours each (men attend three sessions).


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)
Standardized measures of depression, state anxiety, entrapment, defeat, internal and external shame, experiential avoidance, mindfulness, self-compassion, and infertility self-efficacy were endorsed pre- and post-MBPI.


RESULT(S)
The MBPI group and the control group were shown to be equivalent at baseline. By the end of the MBPI, women who attended the program revealed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms, internal and external shame, entrapment, and defeat. Inversely, they presented statistically significant improvement in mindfulness skills and self-efficacy to deal with infertility. Women in the control group did not present significant changes in any of the psychological measures, except for a decrease in self-judgment.


CONCLUSION(S)
Increasing mindfulness and acceptance skills, as well as cognitive decentering from thoughts and feelings, seem to help women to experience negative inner states in new ways, decreasing their entanglement with them and thus their psychological distress. Data suggest that the MBPI is an effective psychological intervention for women experiencing infertility.
['Galhardo|Ana|A|', 'Cunha|Marina|M|', 'Pinto-Gouveia|José|J|']
D000328:Adult D000704:Analysis of Variance D001364:Awareness D001945:Breathing Exercises D016009:Chi-Square Distribution D003071:Cognition D003863:Depression D005260:Female D005298:Fertility D006801:Humans D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy D007247:Infertility, Female D008297:Male D019122:Meditation D008603:Mental Health D026441:Mind-Body Therapies D010465:Perception D011174:Portugal D011603:Psychophysiology D011615:Psychotherapy, Group D012649:Self Concept D012752:Shame D013315:Stress, Psychological D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D013997:Time Factors D016896:Treatment Outcome
infertility Mindfulness acceptance and commitment therapy psychopathology