Empowering Mothers: The Effects of Audio-Guided Meditation on Resilience and Spiritual Well-Being of Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Cancer in Türkiye—A Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal of Religion and Health, cilt.65, sa.2, ss.2143-2162, 2026 (AHCI, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 65 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s10943-026-02601-w
- Dergi Adı: Journal of Religion and Health
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, ATLA Religion Database, CINAHL, Index Islamicus, Psycinfo
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.2143-2162
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Audio-guided meditation, Mothers, Pediatric oncology, Resilience, Spiritual well-being
- Kocaeli Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The diagnosis of childhood cancer profoundly affects family life, and mothers who typically assume the primary caregiving role are particularly vulnerable to reduced resilience and diminished spiritual well-being. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of audio-guided meditation on resilience and spiritual well-being among mothers of children aged 6–18 years with oncology diagnoses. The study was conducted between April and August 2024 with 60 mothers in a pediatric hematology–oncology clinic in Western Türkiye. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale–Short Form (CD-RISC), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). The audio-guided meditation group participated in four weeks of daily audio-guided meditation, while the control group received no intervention. Most participants were aged 26–35 years (33.0%), half were high school graduates (50%), and 47.5% had another child. Leukemia was the most common diagnosis (30.0%), and 51.7% of children had been hospitalized for more than six months. The audio-guided meditation group showed significant increases in mean CD-RISC and SWBS scores at posttest compared with baseline (p < 0.05), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group (p > 0.05). Significant improvements were also noted in the SWBS subscales of Transcendence, Harmony with Nature, and Anomie, with posttest Anomie scores differing significantly between groups (p = 0.010). These findings suggest that audio-guided meditation may be a feasible, low-cost nursing intervention to enhance resilience and spiritual well-being among mothers of children with oncology diagnoses in pediatric hematology–oncology settings. Integrating brief, structured audio-guided meditation into routine psychosocial care may help nurses support mothers’ coping resources and holistic well-being. Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness across different clinical settings and caregiving contexts. Several limitations should be acknowledged regarding this trial. Trial registration: The clinical trial was registered (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06484283). Registered on 7th June 2024.