Mediators of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical Psychology Review April 1, 2022 M. Johannsen, E. Nissen, M. Lundorff et al.
Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies appear to work partly by increasing mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance, which in turn reduce anxiety and depression. A meta-analysis of 33 randomized controlled trials (30 independent trials) found that these three processes together had a small-to-medium mediating effect on treatment outcomes. However, the type of mediation analysis mattered: studies using correlation-based methods found significant mediating effects, while those using causal time-lag analyses did not. The specific role of each mediator could not be determined. Limitations in the number and design of available studies prevent firm conclusions about whether these processes are unique or causal.