Feasibility of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Veterans: A Pilot Study

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention with caregivers of veterans and to examine the effectiveness of the intervention to improve mindfulness using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire compared with waitlist controls. Design: In this randomized controlled trial, 23 caregivers of veterans were assigned to either the intervention or waitlist group. Method: Compliance with mindfulness instruction and attendance was assessed among those in the intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared within group pre- and post-intervention scores and Mann-Whitney U tests compared difference scores (post-pre) by group type. Effect sizes were also calculated. Compliance variables were correlated with difference scores in the intervention group only. Findings: Of the 23 participants, 11 were assigned to the intervention; 100% of participants were retained. There was significant improvement from pre- to post-intervention in four of the five facets of mindfulness (p < .05) in the intervention group. Significant between-group differences (p < .05) were also observed in two of the five facets. Effect sizes ranged from small (.44) to large (.89). No significant improvement was observed in the waitlist control group. Conclusions: A mindfulness-based intervention is feasible and acceptable to improve mindfulness in caregivers of veterans.