A study to evaluate the effectiveness of meditation on depression among women with breast cancer subjected to mastectomy admitted in selected hospitals at chennai

Breast cancer is the top most cancer in women when compared with other cancers in developed and
developing countries. The present study was done to evaluate the effectiveness of meditation on
depression and associate the selected background variables with depression among women with
breast cancer subjected to mastectomy. Related literature was reviewed. The research design adopted
for this study was quantitative, quasi- experimental and non-randomized with the components of
manipulation, non-randomization and control. The sample size was 300; 150 in each group selected
through purposive sampling technique. The instruments had 3 parts: Part I- Background and Clinical
Variables, Part II- BDI-II. Data were collected from both groups on the day prior to surgery, after 30th
day and 90th day from the day they were discharged. The study incorporated with repeated measures
ANOVA of depression among women with breast cancer subjected to mastectomy. In the study group
pretest mean depression was 18.03, posttest I the mean value was 14.23 and in posttest II mean was
11.12. There was a reduction in levels of depression among the study group in pretest, posttest I and
II which was highly significant at p<0.001, whereas in the control group, it was moderately
significant between pretest, posttest I and II at p<0.01. The multiple regression combination of the
eight background variables disclosed small linear relationship to the depression was R² value = 6.1%.
An estimated 6.1% of variance of the background variables can be accounted for multiple regression
combination on predictors: Age, residence, educational status, marital status, occupation, religion,
income and type of family. The conclusion of the study was that that meditation is effective in
reducing the level of depression among women with breast cancer subjected to mastectomy and
meditation practice improves their well being.