Empowering Mothers: The Effects of Audio-Guided Meditation on Resilience and Spiritual Well-Being of Mothers of Children Diagnosed with Cancer in Türkiye-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The diagnosis of childhood cancer profoundly affects family life, and mothers who typically assume the primary caregiving role are particularly vulnerable to reduced resilience and diminished spiritual well-being. This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effect of audio-guided meditation on resilience and spiritual well-being among mothers of children aged 6-18 years with oncology diagnoses. The study was conducted between April and August 2024 with 60 mothers in a pediatric hematology-oncology clinic in Western Türkiye. Data were collected using the Descriptive Information Form, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-Short Form (CD-RISC), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS). The audio-guided meditation group participated in four weeks of daily audio-guided meditation, while the control group received no intervention. Most participants were aged 26-35 years (33.0%), half were high school graduates (50%), and 47.5% had another child. Leukemia was the most common diagnosis (30.0%), and 51.7% of children had been hospitalized for more than six months. The audio-guided meditation group showed significant increases in mean CD-RISC and SWBS scores at posttest compared with baseline (p < 0.05), whereas no significant changes were observed in the control group (p > 0.05). Significant improvements were also noted in the SWBS subscales of Transcendence, Harmony with Nature, and Anomie, with posttest Anomie scores differing significantly between groups (p = 0.010). These findings suggest that audio-guided meditation may be a feasible, low-cost nursing intervention to enhance resilience and spiritual well-being among mothers of children with oncology diagnoses in pediatric hematology-oncology settings. Integrating brief, structured audio-guided meditation into routine psychosocial care may help nurses support mothers' coping resources and holistic well-being. Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness across different clinical settings and caregiving contexts. Several limitations should be acknowledged regarding this trial. Trial registration: The clinical trial was registered (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06484283). Registered on 7th June 2024.