Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy versus treatment as usual after non-remission with NHS Talking Therapies high-intensity psychological therapy for depression: a UK-based clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness randomised, controlled, superiority trial.
The lancet. Psychiatry June 1, 2025 Thorsten Barnhofer, Barnaby D. Dunn, Clara Strauss et al. 9 citations
About half of patients with depression who complete the UK National Health Service Talking Therapies stepped care pathway still have symptoms. A randomized trial tested whether adding mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) via videoconference to treatment as usual improves outcomes for these patients. At 34 weeks, the MBCT group had significantly lower depression scores than the treatment-as-usual group (adjusted difference -2.49 points on the PHQ-9). The MBCT group also had slightly lower healthcare costs and higher quality-of-life scores, with a 99% chance of being cost-effective at the £20,000 per QALY threshold. No serious adverse events occurred. MBCT is an effective and scalable further-line treatment for depression that does not remit after psychological therapy.