To examine the extent to which mindfulness skills influence psychological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men with metastatic or castration-resistant biochemical progression of prostate cancer.
A cross-sectional survey of 190 men (46 % response; mean age 71 years, SD = 8.7, range 40-91 years) with advanced prostate cancer, assessed psychological and cancer-specific distress, HRQOL. Mindfulness skills were assessed as potential predictors of adjustment outcomes.
Overall, 39 % of men reported high psychological distress. One third had accessed psychological support previously although only 10 % were under current psychological care. One quarter had accessed a prostate cancer support group in the past six months. Higher HRQOL and lower cancer-specific and global psychological distress were related to non-judging of inner experience (p < 0.001). Higher HRQOL and lower psychological distress were related to acting with awareness (p < 0.001). Lower distress was also related to higher non-reactivity to inner experience and a lower level of observing (p < 0.05).
Men with advanced prostate cancer are at risk of poor psychological outcomes. Psychological flexibility may be a promising target for interventions to improve adjustment outcomes in this patient group.
Trial Registration: ACTRN12612000306819.
Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation. 2016 Jun 17 [Epub ahead of print]
Suzanne K Chambers, Elizabeth Foley, Samantha Clutton, Robert McDowall, Stefano Occhipinti, Martin Berry, Martin R Stockler, Stephen J Lepore, Mark Frydenberg, Robert A Gardiner, Ian D Davis, David P Smith
Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia. ., Mind Potential, Sydney, Australia., Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia., Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Australia., Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group, Sydney, Australia., Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group, Sydney, Australia., Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group, Sydney, Australia., Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA., Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group, Sydney, Australia., University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia., Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate (ANZUP) Cancer Trials Group, Sydney, Australia., Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia.