Testing psychosocial mediators of a mind–body resiliency intervention for cancer survivors

PURPOSE: Group-based mind–body interventions such as the Stress Management and Resiliency Training-Relaxation Response Resiliency Program (SMART-3RP) hold promise for enhancing resiliency among cancer survivors. Mechanisms underlying improvements in psychological outcomes are theoretically established but remain unexamined empirically. METHODS: Adult cancer survivors (n = 105) participating in the SMART-3RP completed surveys of resiliency and five hypothesized mediators: coping (ability to relax physical tension and assertive social support-seeking), mindfulness, positive affect, and worry. Pre-post intervention changes were assessed using repeated-measures t-tests. Bivariate correlations between change scores and a more conservative within-person parallel mediation model tested covariance between resiliency and mediators. RESULTS: Participants experienced moderate to large improvements in all patient-reported outcomes (ds = 1.01–0.46). Increased resiliency was significantly associated with increases in mindfulness, positive affect, and assertive social support-seeking (rs = 0.36–0.50); smaller associations with increased relaxation and decreased worry were not significant. Mindfulness and positive affect explained the largest proportion of variance in resiliency increase in the full multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer survivors completing the SMART-3RP had increased resiliency, which was associated with improvements in mindfulness, positive affect, and the ability to assertively seek social support. Enhancing mindfulness and positive affect were critical components for enhancing resiliency. Implications for resiliency interventions with cancer survivors are discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00520-022-07022-5.