Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based group intervention (The COndiVIDere program) delivered online to people with MS (PwMS) in the time of COVID-19.
Materials and methods: This is a single-arm longitudinal study with a nested qualitative study. The COndiVIDere program is composed of five weekly sessions (1-h each) plus three booster monthly sessions. Data were collected immediately before the beginning of the program, after the five weekly sessions, and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.
Results: Fifty PwMS participated in the program. Participants improved in anxiety, stress, loneliness and mindfulness ("non-judgmental inner experience" component). Improvements on most outcomes occurred at post-intervention and reached the statistically significant threshold at 3-month follow-up. Mindfulness improvements keep increasing at each time point. Qualitative data confirmed the COndiVIDere program feasibility and the positive psychological impacts on participants. Mindfulness, compassion and the group setting were considered the most important active elements.
Conclusions: Study findings support COndiVIDere feasibility and effectiveness with PwMS and its broad applicability in this population.
Keywords: Mindfulness; anxiety; compassion; loneliness; multiple sclerosis; online; stress.
COndiVIDere is a highly structured, brief, manualized, online mindfulness-based interventionIt is effective in improving participants’ anxiety, stress, loneliness and mindfulnessIt can be effectively delivered online to people with MS with varied socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.