• Melanie Pj Schellekens, Desiree Gm van den Hurk, Ellen Tm Jansen, Marije L van der Lee, Judith B Prins, Miep A van der Drift, and Anne Em Speckens.
• Scientific Research Department, Helen Dowling Institute, Centre for Psycho-Oncology, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
• Palliat Med. 2021 Jan 1; 35 (1): 200-208.

BackgroundMindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been shown to reduce psychological distress in cancer patients but not their partners. Whether MBSR can support patients and partners in coping with the dying and grieving process is less well examined.AimWe aimed to gain more insight in the role of mindfulness in the dying and grieving process from the perspective of the partner after the patient's death.DesignAs part of a pilot study or subsequent randomized controlled trial, partners had participated together with the patient in MBSR. After the patient's death partners were invited for qualitative in-depth interviews. Data from the interviews was analyzed using the grounded theory approach.Setting/ParticipantsInterviews were conducted with 11 partners in their homes, on average 11 months after the patient's death (SD = 7.8).ResultsMindfulness helped couples to allow and regulate difficult thoughts and feelings, which in turn helped them to accept the patient's impending death. It also facilitated them to enjoy things together and communicate more openly. For a few couples, however, participation was physically too burdensome or emotionally too confrontational. During the partners' grieving process, mindfulness helped allowing difficult thoughts and feelings, and taking the time to grieve, which helped them to take good care of themselves, giving them faith in the future.ConclusionThe present study showed that MBSR can facilitate lung cancer patients and their partners in accepting the forthcoming death and openly communicating about this, which can support a peaceful death and healthy grieving process.

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