Re-analyzing data from a randomized trial of an 8-week technology-supported mindfulness (TSM) treatment for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), reductions in rumination and worry were greater in the TSM group than in a waitlist control. Statistical models showed that decreased worry predicted later OCD symptom improvement, while rumination did not show this predictive relationship. The findings suggest that worry reduction may be a mechanism through which mindfulness-based treatment alleviates OCD symptoms.
A brief virtual group therapy called 'mindful adaptive practice in pregnancy' (MAPP), delivered in five 2-hour sessions over four weeks, was tested against treatment as usual in a pilot randomized controlled trial with 69 pregnant persons experiencing elevated anxiety. Over 80% of participants in the MAPP group attended three or more sessions, and preliminary results indicate a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms for MAPP recipients compared to those receiving only treatment as usual. The authors suggest MAPP may be a feasible and acceptable intervention for anxiety during pregnancy, pending confirmation in a larger trial.
A 5-week abbreviated mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program significantly reduced mood and anxiety symptom severity and increased general well-being in 54 physician-referred, treatment-seeking adults with mood or anxiety symptoms. Effect sizes were generally large, with high response and remission rates. The findings suggest that a shortened MBCT protocol can produce substantial clinical benefits and may improve cost-effectiveness and access to care for anxiety and depression.