Mindfulness for Menopausal Women: Enhancing Quality of Life and Psychological Well-Being Through a Randomized Controlled Intervention.

A randomized controlled trial with 120 menopausal women in Egypt found that seven sessions of a mindfulness-based intervention significantly improved menopause-specific quality of life across vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual domains, with large effect sizes. The intervention also substantially reduced anxiety, stress, and depression, and increased mindfulness, compared to a control group receiving general health education. These results suggest mindfulness-based programs can effectively alleviate menopausal symptoms and enhance psychological well-being.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Menopause is associated with significant physical, psychosocial, and emotional changes that can negatively affect women's quality of life (QoL). In response to this, psychological interventions like mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in alleviating menopausal symptoms and improving psychological well-being. A comprehensive randomized controlled trial was conducted from May to August 2024 at Damanhour University, Egypt. One hundred and twenty menopausal women were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 60), which participated in seven mindfulness sessions, or the control group (n = 60), which received general health education. Pre and postintervention data were collected using the Menopause-Specific QoL questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Independent samples t-tests were performed to compare groups, while paired t-tests assessed within-group changes post-intervention. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d, ensuring a robust and reliable data analysis. The intervention group showed significant improvements across all domains of menopause-specific QoL, including vasomotor (d = 0.788, p < 0.01), psychosocial (d = 1.042, p < 0.01), physical (d = 0.809, p < 0.01), and sexual (d = 0.794, p < 0.01). Additionally, significant reductions were observed in anxiety (d = 1.221, p < 0.01), stress (d = 1.030, p < 0.01), and depression (d = 0.880, p < 0.01), along with a significant increase in mindfulness (d = 1.335, p < 0.01) postintervention. The MBIS significantly improved menopause-specific QoL and reduced anxiety, stress, and depression while enhancing mindfulness in menopausal women. These findings suggest that mindfulness-based interventions could be game changers in managing menopausal symptoms and improving overall psychological well-being, offering hope for a better QoL for menopausal women. The research will primarily impact healthcare providers working with menopausal women, particularly those offering psychological support or nonpharmacological treatments. It also impacts menopausal women themselves by providing evidence-based intervention options that could alleviate menopausal symptoms. Furthermore, researchers and policymakers focusing on women's health and mental well-being may use these findings to inform future studies and healthcare strategies. Women from Damanhur University. This trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov database under the registration number NCT06421909.