Depression and Anxiety
January 1, 2024
Jelle Lubbers, Dirk E. M. Geurts, Philip Spinhoven et al.
10 citations
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) added to treatment as usual reduced depressive symptoms and overall functional impairment more than treatment as usual alone in patients with persistent or recurrent major depressive disorder, with medium and small effect sizes respectively. The therapy worked better for those who started with higher levels of rumination and perseverative thinking and lower levels of self-compassion; these traits moderated the treatment's effects. No mediators of MBCT's effects were identified, as the therapy did not change the assessed potential mediators by mid-treatment. Allocating MBCT based on patients' rumination and self-compassion levels could make symptom reduction more efficient.
Journal of General Internal Medicine
May 19, 2025
Marieke Arts-De Jong, Dirk E. M. Geurts, Philip Spinhoven et al.
2 citations
A 4-week therapist-assisted mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program was not superior to a minimal self-guided mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) for improving mental health among frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a randomized trial with 201 participants, both interventions led to similar, significant reductions in depressive, anxiety, and somatic symptoms from baseline to 6-month follow-up (Cohen's d -0.78 for MBSR, -0.72 for self-guided MBI). The therapist-assisted MBSR showed a greater reduction in symptoms immediately after the intervention and exclusively increased posttraumatic growth at that point. Both approaches improved posttraumatic symptoms, insomnia, repetitive negative thinking, mental well-being, mindfulness, and self-compassion.
Mindfulness
July 1, 2024
Jelle Lubbers, Philip Spinhoven, Mira B. Cladder-Micus et al.
After Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), many patients with major depressive disorder shift toward healthier mindfulness profiles, and those who change profiles show greater improvement in mental health than those who do not. Among 500 patients, four mindfulness profiles were identified: Very low mindfulness, Non-judgmentally aware, Judgmentally observing, and High mindfulness. Of 168 patients initially in the Very low mindfulness profile, 71 moved to Non-judgmentally aware and 30 to High mindfulness. Of 129 in Non-judgmentally aware, 49 moved to High mindfulness; of 141 in Judgmentally observing, 37 moved to High mindfulness. All 61 patients already in High mindfulness remained there. Profile change was linked to above-average improvement in depressive symptoms, functional impairment, worry, and self-compassion, while no change (except staying in High mindfulness) was linked to below-average improvement.
Mindfulness
February 1, 2024
Jelle Lubbers, Philip Spinhoven, Mira B. Cladder-Micus et al.
In patients with current or remitted major depressive disorder, four distinct mindfulness profiles were identified using latent profile analysis on questionnaire data from 754 individuals. Three profiles matched those found in previous depressed samples (very low mindfulness, high mindfulness, non-judgmentally aware), and one matched a profile from non-clinical populations (judgmentally observing). Those with high mindfulness had the best mental health—fewer depressive symptoms, less worry, less functional impairment, and more self-compassion—while those with very low mindfulness had the worst. However, mindfulness profiles did not predict how much mental health changed after Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, suggesting profiles are linked to current mental health but not to treatment response.
Mindfulness
October 1, 2020
Marleen J. Ter Avest, Corina U. Greven, Marloes J. Huijbers et al.
During mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for recurrent depression, larger increases in mindfulness were associated with larger increases in positive affect, while higher general levels of negative affect were linked to smaller increases in mindfulness over time. Week-to-week effects showed no reciprocal cross-lagged effects between mindfulness and positive or negative affect, except that positive affect at session 2 was positively associated with mindfulness at session 3. The study used data from 235 patients with recurrent depression in remission or partial remission, measuring mindfulness, positive affect, and negative affect before each MBCT session.