An online mindfulness-based intervention for adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease & psychological distress: A feasibility randomized controlled trial of the Mind4IBD program

Objective

The bidirectional relationship between disease activity and mental health in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has prompted investigations into the efficacy of psychotherapies, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBI), for improving biopsychosocial outcomes. Therefore, the aim is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an online-delivered, self-directed MBI, adapted to individuals with IBD and psychological distress, in comparison to wait-list control (WLC).

Methods

50 adults with IBD were randomized to WLC (N = 25) or intervention (N = 25) groups. The intervention (MIND4IBD program) consisted of six, weekly, 15-min videos (with guided meditations). Feasibility was examined through recruitment and retention rates, while acceptability was examined through intervention satisfaction ratings and qualitative feedback. Preliminary efficacy was examined using linear mixed models for group differences in outcomes between baseline and post-intervention.

Results

Primary Outcomes. The retention rate for the WLC group was 92 %, while the retention rate for the intervention group was 48 %. However, 16 % of participants allocated to the intervention group never began the intervention, therefore this resulted in a retention rate of 71 % of participants who began the intervention. Acceptability was high with an average intervention satisfaction rating of 83/100. Secondary Outcomes. When compared with the WLC, the MIND4IBD program improved total mindfulness levels (b = 0.29, 95 %CI [0.11,0.47], p = 0.004) with a large effect size (β = 0.54, b = 0.19, 95 %CI [0.04,0.34], p = 0.014). Themes based on participants' intervention feedback included: 1) beginning of journey with mindfulness, 2) the beneficial impact of mindfulness, 3) why adapting the intervention to IBD is important, 4) views on program delivery, and 5) mixed reactions to AI generated presenters.

Conclusion

MIND4IBD is feasible and acceptable for individuals with IBD and psychological distress. Participants' total mindfulness levels increased significantly in the intervention group compared to WLC. Most participants provided positive intervention feedback. These findings warrant a full-scale RCT to determine MIND4IBD's efficacy for IBD.