The effects of mindfulness-based group intervention on the mental health of middle-aged Korean women in community

Abstract

This study was conducted to develop a mindfulness and self-compassion enhancement intervention for middle-aged women who complained of emotional distress and to ascertain whether participation in the mindfulness-based programme was associated with an increase in psychological well-being and the improvement of psychological symptoms. The results showed that time by group interactions were significant in improving psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, hostility, somatization, positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). These results suggest that participants in the mindfulness and self-compassion group programme appeared to have enhanced psychological well-being and improved psychological distress. The study findings also suggest that mindfulness and self-compassion enhancement programme may be an intervention with potential for helping many individuals to learn to deal with emotional distress. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.