Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy experiences in youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression: findings from a mixed methods qualitative study
BMJ Open November 5, 2020 Tatjana Ewais, Jake Begun, Maura Kenny et al.
Youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression who completed an adapted mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group programme described the experience as healing and transformative. Four themes emerged: connectedness and shared understanding, growing in wisdom, therapeutic alliance, and barriers to mindfulness practice. Participants perceived peer connection as essential for learning mindfulness skills, which in turn strengthened that connection. Barriers included fatigue, depression, time, and travel constraints. The findings help interpret the results of the larger randomized controlled trial and inform future MBCT studies in this cohort.