The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Education Given to Obese Adolescents on Eating Behaviors and Depression

Abstract

This study focused on an online education program based on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Education. The purpose of this research is identifying the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction education about eating behavior and depression on obese adolescents. The research has been conducted on high schools in the province capital of Mardin, in the dates between March 2021-January 2022, as a pretest/posttest control grouped experimental study. The sample of the study was composed of 93 obese adolescents (experimental group: 45, control group: 48) determined by power analysis. Introductory Peculiarities Form, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and Kutcher's Adolescent Depression Scale has been used for information gathering. An 8-week long awareness-based stress reduction education has been given to the experimental group. No initiative has been taken on the control group. For the assessment of the data, percentage distribution, arithmetic average, standard deviation, chi-square test, t test in independent groups and t test in dependent groups methods have been used. A reduction in total depression points and eating behaviors among the obese adolescents in the experimental group after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Education, and the importance of the difference between groups being statistically important has been determined (p < 0.05). The eating behaviors and the total depression points of the obese adolescents in the experimental group has been detected as lower than the obese adolescents in the control group. It has also been detected that the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Education has affected the eating behaviors of the obese adolescents positively and that it is an effective method for reducing their depression levels.