Online mindfulness program (COndiVIDere) for people with multiple sclerosis in the time of COVID-19: a pilot longitudinal study

Abstract

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.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• COndiVIDere is a highly structured, brief, manualized, online mindfulness-based intervention

• It is effective in improving participants’ anxiety, stress, loneliness and mindfulness

• It can be effectively delivered online to people with MS with varied socio-demographic and clinical characteristics

Keywords:

• Mindfulness
• compassion
• multiple sclerosis
• online
• loneliness
• anxiety
• stress

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the PwMS who participated in the project and Michele Messmer Uccelli for her support during the development of the program.

Authors’ contributions

AMG, RQ, MEQ conceived and developed the study protocol, and ran the group sessions. SM created the online surveys and all authors worked on data collection. AMG performed the data analysis. AMG, RQ, drafted the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

AMG received a research grants from Rehabilitation In Multiple Sclerosis (RIMS) European network for best practice and resource, and from Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (FISM) during the study implementation.

Data availability statement

Data are available upon request to the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.