Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Training Improves Quality of Life for Atopic Dermatitis Patients

Japan: A groundbreaking randomized clinical trial published in JAMA Dermatology has revealed that mindfulness and self-compassion training, when integrated with standard care, significantly enhances the quality of life (QOL) of adults suffering from atopic dermatitis (AD).

The randomized clinical trial enrolled a total of 107 adults with AD, all of whom had a Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score greater than 6, indicating moderate or severe impairment. The participants were recruited from multiple outpatient institutes in Japan, as well as through the study's social media platforms and website.

The participants were randomly assigned to two groups: an intervention group receiving eight 90-minute weekly group sessions of online mindfulness and self-compassion training, and a waiting list group. Both groups were permitted to receive any dermatologic treatment.

The study revealed the following clinical findings:

1. In the intervention group, 98.2% of participants attended 6 or more of the 8 sessions. A total of 98.1% of all participants completed the assessment at the 13-week mark.

2. The intervention group displayed significant improvement in the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score at 13 weeks compared to the waiting list group.

3. The difference between the two groups was -6.34, with a 95% confidence interval of -8.27 to -4.41, showing a significant result (p < 0.001).

4. All secondary outcomes, including eczema severity, itch- and scratching-related visual analog scales, self-compassion levels, mindfulness, psychological symptoms, and adherence to dermatologist-advised treatments, demonstrated greater improvements in the intervention group compared to the waiting list group.

The findings of this trial highlight the efficacy of integrated online mindfulness and self-compassion training as effective treatment options for adults with AD. Notably, participants experienced improvements not only in skin disease-specific QOL but also in eczema severity and other patient-reported outcomes.

“By addressing the psychological well-being of AD patients, this innovative approach demonstrates significant potential to enhance the overall care and management of this chronic condition. Further research and implementation of mindfulness and self-compassion training progress will provide a much-needed boost to the QOL of individuals living with AD.” said the researchers of the study.

Reference:

Kishimoto, S., Watanabe, N., Yamamoto, Y., Imai, T., Aida, R., Germer, C., Tamagawa-Mineoka, R., Shimizu, R., Hickman, S., Nakayama, Y., Etoh, T., Sahker, E., Carnie, M. B., & Furukawa, T. A. (2023). Efficacy of Integrated Online Mindfulness and Self-compassion Training for Adults With Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA dermatology, e230975. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamadermatol.2023.0975