Negative self-referential processing is well-studied in unipolar depression but less in bipolar disorder (BD). In 49 patients with BD from a randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), those receiving MBCT plus treatment as usual (TAU, n=23) showed a reduction in negative self-referential memory bias over time compared with TAU alone (n=26). At baseline, all three measures of self-referential processing—positive and negative attributions and negative memory bias—were linked to depressive symptoms. The findings are preliminary and suggest that reducing negative self-referential memory bias may help prevent and treat depressive symptoms in BD through MBCT.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) helps prevent relapse in major depressive disorder by reducing cognitive reactivity and rumination while increasing self-compassion and mindfulness. The authors note that while rumination and mindfulness after MBCT are linked to relapse, no prior research has examined whether these factors—along with cognitive reactivity and self-compassion—are associated with relapse before MBCT begins. This gap suggests that pre-treatment psychological characteristics may influence treatment outcomes, but the study does not report any new empirical data.
In a multi-centre trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for recurrent depression, teacher competence—assessed using the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC)—showed no significant association with patient adherence, potential mechanisms of change (rumination, cognitive reactivity, mindfulness, self-compassion), or key outcomes (depressive symptoms post-treatment and depressive relapse/recurrence over 15 months). The authors suggest several possible explanations, including the standardized delivery of MBCT, the emphasis on self-reliance in the learning process, participant-related factors, challenges in assessing teacher competence, and the limited sample of videotaped sessions. Further research is needed to explore these explanations.