The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on stress response and power in psychiatric inpatients in a closed ward. Methods: For this study a quasi-experiment design was used to examine the effects of the intervention. The MBSR program conducted in this study was a six-session program, in which participants were asked to meditate for 45 minutes twice a week for 3 weeks. Homogeneity between the experimental and control group was assessed using x2 test, t-test, and Fisher`s exact test. The results of the assessment showed that the variances of the two groups were equal. Demographic variables of the study participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study hypotheses were verified using t-test. Cronbach`s α was measured to assess the reliability of each test. Results: Compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group showed significant improvement in scores for stress response (t=3.62, p=.001) and power (t=-3.42, p=.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that the mindfulness meditation program can be used as a psychosocial rehabilitation intervention for psychiatric inpatients by capitalizing on its positive effects on emotional reactivity and behavioral regulation.
