The Effect of Brief Mindfulness Meditation on Suicidal Ideation, Stress and Sleep Quality

Abstract

Objectives

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for individuals aged 15–29 years, and early intervention on suicidal ideation and risk factors should be priortized. Brief mindfulness meditation (BMM) is convenient and cost-effective in improving physical and mental well-being, but less is known about its efficacy for suicidal ideation, stress and sleep quality. We investigated the effects of BMM on suicidal ideation, stress, and sleep quality for individuals with suicide risk.

Methods

Sixty-four college students with high suicidal ideation (aged 18–30 years) were randomly allocated to either a BMM (n = 32) or control group (n = 32). The BMM was based on Anapanasati and core mindfulness concepts. Sixty participants completed all scheduled sessions including pretest, one month of intervention or waiting, and posttest. Suicidal ideation was measured with the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Stress was evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale and salivary cortisol levels. Sleep was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and actigraphy accompanied with 7-day sleep diaries.

Results

Post-intervention, the BMM group showed significant decrease in suicidal ideation with a large effect size; the decrease showed a medium effect size in the control group. The BMM group, but not the control group, showed significant decrease in morning salivary cortisol and sleep latency, and improved sleep efficiency.

Conclusions

BMM could help reduce suicidal ideation, stress, and sleep disturbance for individuals with high suicidal ideation and it may implicate effective suicide prevention strategy.

Keywords:

• Brief mindfulness meditation
• sleep
• stress
• suicidal ideation

ETHICAL APPROVAL

The present study was approved by the Committee on Ethics of Biomedicine Research, Second Military Medical University and registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800016081).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We appreciate Professor Xing-Hua Liu ([email protected]) from Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China for his assistance. We appreciate Professor Jie Zhang, ([email protected]) from Department of Sociology, SUNY Buffalo State, New York, USA for sharing the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Ran Wu were responsible for the development of this particular study, participated in the study design and performed data analyses, wrote the first draft, and modified the manuscript. Shi-Yang Zhong were responsible for the development of this particular study, and participated in the study design and performed data analyses. Guang-Hai Wang, Meng-Yang Wu, and Hong Zhu were the principal researchers for the tests and interventions, and modified the manuscript. Jin-Fang Xu were responsible for performed data analyses and modified the manuscript. Lin-Lin Liu, Wen-Jun Su, and Zhi-Yong Cao were responsible for project conception, questionnaire design, manuscript review, and recruitment of participants. Chun-Lei Jiang were responsible for the development of this particular study, designed the meditation method, and modified the manuscript. All the authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Shanghai Philosophy and Social Science Project (Youth Project in Education) [B1901] and National Natural Science Foundation of China [31871171].

Notes on contributors

Ran Wu

Ran Wu, PhD, Counseling and Psychological Services Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China; Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Shi-Yang Zhong

Shi-Yang Zhong, MD, Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Guang-Hai Wang

Guang-Hai Wang, PhD, Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Pediatric Translational Medicine Institution, Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Meng-Yang Wu

Meng-Yang Wu, MA, Counseling and Psychological Services Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China

Jin-Fang Xu

Jin-Fang Xu, PhD, Department of Health Statistics, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Hong Zhu

Hong Zhu, MA, Counseling and Psychological Services Center, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.

Lin-Lin Liu

Lin-Lin Liu, MD, Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Wen-Jun Su

Wen-Jun Su, MD, PhD, Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,

Zhi-Yong Cao

Zhi-Yong Cao, MD, PhD, Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.

Chun-Lei Jiang

Chun-Lei Jiang, MD, PhD, Department of Stress Medicine, Faculty of Psychology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.