A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing the Effects of Mindfulness-Based and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Stress Reduction in Medical Students
European Psychiatry August 27, 2024 A. Yay Pençe, M. Çöldür, Z. Atalay et al.
A randomized trial compared online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Cognitive Behavioural Based Stress Reduction (CBSR) for medical students. Both interventions reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress after 8 weeks. In the intention-to-treat analysis, effects were slight to moderate, with MBSR showing larger effect sizes for depression, anxiety, and stress than CBSR, but the difference between groups was not significant. In per-protocol analysis among completers, effects were moderate to strong, and MBSR was significantly more effective than CBSR at reducing anxiety symptoms. The authors suggest that completing the protocol or attending more sessions may increase effectiveness.