Comparing the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy and an Islam-based spirituality therapy on quality of life in hypertensive cardiac patients

This study aimed to compare the effect of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) with cognitive approach, with that of the spiritual therapy with Islamic approach on quality of life among hypertensive cardiac patients.

All cardiovascular patients referred to the cohort center in Shahrekord in 2019 were included in this semi-experimental (pretest-posttest design) study. Using convenience sampling method, 75 patients were selected and randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group in such a way that each group included 25 individuals. The McNew quality of life questionnaire was used to collect the required data. All groups received standard medical drugs under the supervision of a cardiologist. In addition to standard medical treatment, the experimental groups underwent MBSR with a cognitive approach (8 sessions lasting 90 minutes) and spiritual therapy based on Islam (8 sessions lasting 90 minutes); The control group received no non-medical intervention. Data were analyzed by using AVOVA and paired t test.

The overall score of quality of life in the MBSR and spiritual therapy groups increased significantly after the intervention (P<0.001). As for the control group, however, the overall score of quality of life remained unchanged after the intervention (P=0.10). Significant differences were observed in the total scores of quality of life among the three groups so that the mean score of the difference in the total score of quality of life in the spiritual therapy group before and after the intervention was higher than those in other groups (P<0.001).

MBSR therapy and specially Islam-based spiritual therapy had the potential to improve the quality of life in hypertensive cardiac patients.