The impact of mind-body therapies on the mental health of caregivers in palliative care settings: A systematic review

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BACKGROUND: Caregivers in palliative care settings often face significant emotional and psychological burdens, yet their mental health needs remain under-addressed. Mind-body therapies (MBTs) have shown promise in clinical populations, but their effects on caregivers are understudied and poorly synthesized. METHODS: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024571202). A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies (QES) assessing MBTs for caregivers in palliative care. Data were extracted using the PICOS framework. Study quality was appraised using JBI tools, risk of bias was assessed via ROB2 and ROBINS-I, and evidence certainty was rated with GRADE. RESULTS: 20 studies involving 1230 caregivers were included. Interventions encompassed 8 types of MBTs, with structured, therapist-guided formats demonstrating stronger effects than self-directed or digital approaches. Overall, MBTs showed short-term improvements in depression, anxiety, PTSD, distress, quality of life, and self-regulation. Informal and home hospice caregivers benefited most, while professional and spousal caregivers showed variable responsiveness. Methodological heterogeneity and limited follow-up constrained meta-analysis and generalizability. CONCLUSION: This review presents a comprehensive synthesis of existing evidence on MBTs targeting caregiver mental health in palliative care. It highlights the therapeutic potential of MBTs and identifies delivery modality and caregiver role as key moderators of intervention effectiveness. Furthermore, it contributes to the field by outlining practical implementation strategies for integrating MBTs into routine caregiver support, with an emphasis on contextual adaptation and policy-level facilitation. These findings support the development of scalable, person-centered interventions to meet the psychological needs of caregivers within palliative care systems.

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