Effects of a cognitive-behavioural mindfulness intervention upon quality of life, depression and fatigue among multiple sclerosis (MS) patients

INTERVENTION: Intervention: Mindfulness‐based stress reduction. 8‐week group (10 ‐ 15 participants) intervention, 2.5 hours per week with one additional whole‐day session and optimal conventional medical care. Control: Optimal conventional medical care alone. CONDITION: Multiple sclerosis ; Nervous System Diseases ; Multiple sclerosis PRIMARY OUTCOME: 1. Quality of life: Hamburg Quality of Life Questionnaire in Multiple Sclerosis and Profile Quality of Life in Chronic Disorder ; 2. Modified Fatigue Impact Scale ; 3. Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale; ; Timepoints of assessment: pre‐Intervention, post‐intervention and 6‐month post‐intervention. SECONDARY OUTCOME: 1. Multiple Sclerosis Inventory of Cognition ; 2. Personal Goal Attainment Scale; 3. Visual Analogue Quality of Life Scale; 4. Spielberger Trait Anxiety Scale ; 5. Expanded Disability Status Scale ; 6. 25‐foot walk test; ; Timepoints of assessment: pre‐Intervention, post‐intervention and 6‐month post‐intervention. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Both males and females, aged 18 ‐ 70 years 2. Verified diagnosis of MS with an expanded disability status scale score of less than or equal to 6.0 (from no disability to moderately severe disability MS) and no more than one step increase within the last year. We include patients with the followng types of disease: 2.1. Relapsing‐remitting MS and no more than two exacerbations within the last year, with at least three months since start of last relapse; or 2.2. Secondary progressive disease 3. Patients who have not initiated or changed treatment with a disease‐modifying drug within the past three months 4. Patients who have not been treated with corticosteroids within the previous 30 days 5. Time since onset of disease will be evaluated and considered in statistical analyses but will not form a criterion for enrolment into the study