Intensive meditation intervention found to ameliorate schizophrenia symptoms

An intensive meditation-based intervention (iMI) significantly improves positive symptoms, particularly refractory hallucinations and delusions, in male patients with schizophrenia, according to a study published online on Feb. 6 in Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences.

Ting Xue, Ph.D., from the Shanghai Mental Health Center at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and colleagues investigated the impact of an eight-month daily guided iMI on persistent hallucinations/delusions and health-related quality of life in 64 male inpatients with schizophrenia with treatment-refractory hallucinations and delusions.

The researchers found that iMI significantly reduced Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total scores and improved positive symptoms and hallucination/delusion items versus a general rehabilitation program at both three and eight months.

At eight months, treatment response rates (≥25 percent reduction) for these measures significantly increased in the iMI group. Additionally, iMI significantly increased scores in physical activity and mindfulness skills at both time points compared with general rehabilitation, with a more pronounced effect observed at eight months.

"The findings support iMI as a promising adjunctive therapy alongside antipsychotic medications, particularly for individuals with positive symptoms in clinical settings," the authors write.