Mindfulness-based therapy versus cognitive behavioral therapy for people with anxiety symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of random controlled trials
Annals of Palliative Medicine July 1, 2021 Jingjing Li, Zhu Cai, Xiaoming Li et al. 58 citations
Mindfulness-based interventions and cognitive behavioral therapy are similarly effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and improving sleep quality. A meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled trials found no significant difference between the two approaches on these outcomes after treatment. Subgroup analyses suggested that mindfulness-based interventions may offer a small advantage for general anxiety symptoms, while CBT showed a small advantage for social anxiety measured by specific scales. Mindfulness-based stress reduction also showed a slight benefit compared to other mindfulness types. The findings indicate that mindfulness-based interventions can serve as an alternative to CBT for treating anxiety symptoms.