Psychological distress across twelve months in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: the role of disease activity, disability, and mindfulness

Objective
Mindfulness may diminish effects of adversities on psychological well-being in medical patients, but studies are scarce, especially in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The purpose was to examine the prospective moderating effect of mindfulness regarding psychological distress associated with disease activity and disability in patients with RA.
Methods
Two-hundred-and-one patients with RA (mean age 57.4 ± 11.7, 55% women) completed questionnaires at baseline and at six and twelve month follow-up. Disease activity score was assessed by the rheumatologist.ResultsControlled for potential confounders, mixed linear model analyses showed a strong prospective association of higher baseline mindfulness with lower psychological distress up to the twelve month follow-up (p < .001). In addition, a mindfulness by disability by time interaction showed that higher baseline mindfulness was associated with lower disability related psychological distress at follow-up (p = .022).
Conclusion
Findings are in line with the hypothesis that mindfulness may protect against psychological distress associated with disability in RA. Potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for prevention should be examined in this population.Keywords: Disability, Disease activity, Mindfulness, Psychological distress, Rheumatoid arthritis