Compassionate mind training for people with Parkinson's disease: A pilot study and predictors of response

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionPeople with Parkinson's disease (PD) often present with disabling neuropsychiatric symptoms. Compassionate mind training (CMT) is a psychological approach effective in reducing stress and promoting psychological well‐being. Heart rate variability (HRV), a measure reflecting sympathovagal balance, has been associated with psychological well‐being and a compassionate attitude.AimTo assess the feasibility and effectiveness of CMT in enhancing the quality of life and psychological well‐being in PD patients. Additionally, we evaluated HRV as a physiomarker for assessing the CMT outcomes.MethodsTwenty‐four PD patients participated in the study. A 6‐week online CMT intervention was delivered on a weekly basis. At baseline and post‐intervention patients completed questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety and quality of life. In a subsample of 11 patients, HRV was measured at baseline and post‐intervention in three conditions: at rest, during stress and after 3 min of deep breathing.ResultsThe attendance rate was 94.3%. Quality of life and perceived stigma improved post‐intervention as compared with baseline (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03 for PD Questionnaire‐39 total score and Stigma subscore, respectively). After CMT, patients presented better physiological regulation to stress, as measured by higher HRV as compared with baseline (p = 0.005). Notably, patients who were more resilient to stress at baseline (less decrease in HRV during stress) experienced a more substantial reduction in anxiety and depression following CMT.ConclusionsCMT is feasible and can improve quality of life and stigma in PD patients. HRV emerges as a promising physiomarker for predicting and measuring the outcomes of psychological interventions in PD.