Intervention Effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Diabetes-Related Distress and Self-Care

BACKGROUND: Diabetes-related distress (DD) will seriously affect the therapeutic effect of diabetes and the physical and mental health of patients if an intervention treatment is not well implemented. We aimed to explore the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on the DD level and self-care capability of patients with diabetes. METHOD: Sixty-eight patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were selected from the Department of Endocrinology in Jinhua People’s Hospital, China and divided into control (CG) and intervention (IG) groups. Routine diabetes health education (RDHE) was only carried out in the CG, whereas the RDHE and MBCT were provided to the IG. Repeated ANOVA measurements were adopted to investigate the intergroup differences of these two intervention therapies on improving the DD and self-care capability of patients with diabetes. RESULTS: RDHE and MBCT could relieve the DD level of patients with diabetes, but the DD value in IG was lower than that in CG. In comparison with RDHE, MBCT and RDHE could significantly improve the diet and exercise dimensions of patients, and such improvement effects were significantly sustaining (P<0.05). MBCT and RDHE exerted better effects than RDHE alone on blood glucose testing, foot care, and medication intake. However, these effects were not sustaining. CONCLUSION: The care and medication guide provided by MBCT consultants and medical staff can significantly relieve the patients’ DD and enhance their self-care capability. As a low-cost psychological intervention therapy with good sustaining effects, MBCT is important to strengthen the therapeutic effect on diabetes and lowering the medical cost.