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Updated: Sep 14, 2025

Mindfulness in Motion MIM: An Onsite Mindfulness Based Intervention MBI for Chronically High Stress Work Environments to Increase Resiliency and Work Engagement
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The Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer Patients and

Lauren M Carney1, Crystal L Park2, Pooja Hingorany2

  • 1Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Center for Behavioral Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Psychology of Consciousness (Washington, D.C.)
|July 22, 2025
PubMed

Insights

This systematic review found limited evidence on how mindfulness interventions work for cancer patients. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms of mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in this population.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Medicine

Background:

  • Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are widely studied for various outcomes.
  • However, the specific mechanisms through which MBIs influence outcomes in cancer patients remain unclear.
  • This review focuses on understanding these mediating factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review studies examining the mechanisms of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in adult cancer patients and survivors.
  • To identify potential mediators of MBI effects in this population.
  • To assess the quality of existing research on MBI mechanisms in cancer care.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of experimental or quasi-experimental studies.
  • Searches conducted in major databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Cochrane, Scopus) up to May 2022.
  • Narrative synthesis of results and quality grading using a tailored rubric for mediational studies.

Main Results:

  • Only 13 of 156 studies longitudinally tested mediators of MBIs in cancer patients.
  • Mindfulness as a mediator was inconclusive; other mediators were tested in single studies.
  • Most studies lacked strong control groups and were of medium quality.

Conclusions:

  • Current evidence on MBI mechanisms in cancer is limited due to methodological weaknesses.
  • Inconclusive findings on mediators like mindfulness, rumination, and self-compassion.
  • MBIs may have unique effects in cancer populations, necessitating further mediation research.
Keywords:
cancermediatormindfulnesspsycho-oncologysystematic review

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