Effect of mindful breathing on anxiety, depression, and quality of life among women with endometriosis

Mansor M, Mardiana Mansor, Chong MC, Mei-Chan Chong, Ping Lei C, Chui Ping Lei, Hamdan M, Mukhri Hamdan, Nurul Afiedia Roslim, Roslim NA, Rif'atunnailah Mat Isa, Rif’atunnailah Mat Isa, Mat Isa R
Journal of reproductive and infant psychology · 2026 · pp. 1–19 · doi:10.1080/02646838.2026.2622923 · PMID:41642663 · W7127942898
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This study evaluated mindful breathing exercises in women with endometriosis, finding significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and quality of life for the intervention group compared to the control.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-07, 2026-07-16 · read from full text ⓘ

The paper studied anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL) in 108 women diagnosed with endometriosis using a quasi-experimental design with convenience sampling, comparing a mindful breathing intervention group (n=54) against a control group (n=54). Anxiety scores in the intervention group decreased from 13.22 ± 2.84 at baseline to 6.70 ± 3.11 at T3 (p < 0.01), and depression scores decreased from 12.56 ± 3.95 at baseline to 4.31 ± 3.56 at T3 (p < 0.01). QoL improved markedly in the intervention group from 70.48 ± 19.04 at baseline to 21.28 ± 14.53 at T3 (p < 0.01). The paper’s key limitation is its nonrandomized convenience sampling, which may affect generalizability. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it evaluates mindful breathing before-and-after effects on anxiety, depression, and quality of life among women with endometriosis.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Women diagnosed with endometriosis often experience heightened anxiety, depression, and a diminished quality of life (QoL). To address these issues, mindful breathing exercises have been introduced aimed at reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing overall QoL. This study aims to evaluate the levels and differences in anxiety, depression, and QoL among women with endometriosis before and after a mindful breathing exercise, between the intervention and control groups. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study involved 108 women with endometriosis, selected through convenience sampling. Participants were divided into two groups: an intervention group (n = 54) and a control group (n = 54). RESULTS: The mean total anxiety score of the intervention group significantly decreased from 13.22 ± 2.84 at baseline to 6.70 ± 3.11 at T3 (p < 0.01). Similarly, the mean total depression score was reduced from 12.56 ± 3.95 at baseline to 4.31 ± 3.56 at T3 (p < 0.01). Additionally, the mean total QoL score improved from 70.48 ± 19.04 at baseline to 21.28 ± 14.53 at T3 (p < 0.01). These results indicate that the mindful breathing exercises led to statistically significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and QoL. CONCLUSION: This finding recommended that nursing practices in clinical, educational, and management settings adopt and implement mindful breathing exercises to better support women with endometriosis.
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Abstract

Introduction Women diagnosed with endometriosis often experience heightened anxiety, depression, and a diminished quality of life (QoL). To address these issues, mindful breathing exercises have been introduced aimed at reducing anxiety and depression and enhancing overall QoL. This study aims to evaluate the levels and differences in anxiety, depression, and QoL among women with endometriosis before and after a mindful breathing exercise, between the intervention and control groups.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study involved 108 women with endometriosis, selected through convenience sampling. Participants were divided into two groups: an intervention group (n = 54) and a control group (n = 54).

Results

The mean total anxiety score of the intervention group significantly decreased from 13.22 ± 2.84 at baseline to 6.70 ± 3.11 at T3 (p < 0.01). Similarly, the mean total depression score was reduced from 12.56 ± 3.95 at baseline to 4.31 ± 3.56 at T3 (p < 0.01). Additionally, the mean total QoL score improved from 70.48 ± 19.04 at baseline to 21.28 ± 14.53 at T3 (p < 0.01). These results indicate that the mindful breathing exercises led to statistically significant improvements in anxiety, depression, and QoL.

Conclusion

This finding recommended that nursing practices in clinical, educational, and management settings adopt and implement mindful breathing exercises to better support women with endometriosis. Disclosure statement No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s). Ethical approval This study received approval from the University Malaya Medical Centre (MRECID.NO: 2,020,525-8672). Participants provided written consent voluntarily, indicating their agreement to participate in the study. There was no coercion or harm involved in obtaining their participation. Compliance with ethical standards The study was conducted in compliance with ethical standards. Consent for publication The participants gave informed written consent that their anonymised data could be published.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (67)

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