Efficacy of Mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy on physical and mental stress, self-efficacy, and coping styles of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery

Objective: To explore the effect of mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy on physical and mental stress, self-efficacy, and coping styles of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Methodology: This was a retrospective study. This study included 80 breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment in Hefei Cancer Hospital Breast Cancer Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences from May 2023 to December 2024. They were equally allocated to two cohorts (n= 40 per group) using randomization. The control cohort received standard postoperative care, while the experimental cohort was provided with mindfulness-based complementary interventions(MBIs) integrated into conventional nursing protocols. The intervention period was eight weeks. SAS, SDS, VAS, GSES and MCMQ were used to evaluate the effects of the two groups before and after intervention, and the total satisfaction(NSNS) of the two groups was evaluated. Results: Compared to the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significantly lower levels of anxiety(SAS), depression(SDS), and pain perception(VAS) (all P< 0.05). Post-intervention analyses revealed a notable increase in self-efficacy(GSES) within the intervention cohort relative to controls(P< 0.05). Additionally, the intervention group exhibited enhanced coping strategies, with higher scores in "confrontation," "avoidance," and "compromise" domains compared to the control group(P< 0.05). Regarding satisfaction outcomes, the intervention group achieved an overall satisfaction rate of 97.50%, surpassing the control group's 85.00%(P< 0.05). Conclusion: Eight weeks of mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery can effectively relieve postoperative stress responses, enhance their self-efficacy, and optimize coping strategies, which should be promoted in clinical practice.