JAMA Psychiatry
April 28, 2016
Willem Kuyken, Fiona C Warren, Rod S Taylor et al.
815 citations
For people with recurrent depression, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduces the risk of depressive relapse within a 60-week follow-up period compared with usual care or other active treatments, including antidepressants. A meta-analysis of individual patient data from 9 randomized trials involving 1258 patients (mean age 47.1 years, 75% female) found that those receiving MBCT had a 31% lower risk of relapse versus no MBCT (hazard ratio 0.69), and a 21% lower risk versus other active treatments (hazard ratio 0.79). Sociodemographic and psychiatric variables did not significantly modify the treatment effect, but greater severity of depressive symptoms before treatment was associated with a larger benefit from MBCT.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
September 29, 2009
Paul A. M. van den Hurk, Fabio Giommi, Stan Gielen et al.
282 citations
Expert mindfulness meditators show better orienting and executive attention than age- and gender-matched controls, as measured by the attention network test. The 20 meditators had smaller differences in reaction time and error scores, indicating more efficient attentional processing. Extensive mindfulness meditation appears to reduce the fraction of errors for responses with the same reaction time, suggesting that mental training can increase the efficiency of attentional processing.
Nature. Mental health
July 10, 2023
Julieta Galante, Claire Friedrich, Napaporn Aeamla-Or et al.
102 citations
Mindfulness-based programmes reduce psychological distress (anxiety and depression) in community adults who volunteer to participate, with a small to moderate effect size. The analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials with 2,371 participants from 8 countries found a standardized mean difference of -0.32, with high confidence in the result. The effect was not clearly influenced by participants' baseline distress level, gender, age, education, or dispositional mindfulness. More research is needed to understand why outcomes vary between individuals.
British Journal of General Practice
January 28, 2016
Hanne Verweij, Ruth C. Waumans, Danique Smeijers et al.
80 citations
A pilot study of 50 Dutch general practitioners (GPs) found that an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course reduced depersonalization (a key burnout symptom) and increased dedication and mindfulness skills compared to a waiting-list control group. Empathy did not change significantly. Qualitative reports indicated the training improved wellbeing and compassion toward self, others, and patients. The authors conclude MBSR is feasible for GPs and may reduce burnout and improve work engagement, but call for a fully powered randomized trial to confirm the results.
Journal of neurology
July 1, 2024
Ilse M Nauta, Maureen Van Dam, Dirk Bertens et al.
20 citations
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) significantly enhances quality of life for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). In a trial involving 99 patients, MBCT improved depressive symptoms (Cohen's d = -0.46) and mental well-being (d = -0.73) at post-treatment, with mindfulness skills showing lasting effects even six months later (d = 0.42). Cognitive rehabilitation therapy (CRT) also reduced depressive symptoms (d = -0.46) but lacked long-term benefits. Both therapies positively impacted self-reported cognitive issues, highlighting their importance in managing MS-related psychological challenges.
Ecopsychology
April 11, 2018
Rhoda Schuling, Nina van Herpen, Reinier de Nooij et al.
15 citations
Factors that make a mindful walking retreat effective include encountering nature, negotiating obstacles, the walk's duration, and walking in silence. The retreat followed a largely unpaved route along a lowland river and estuary in the Netherlands, where participants made their own choices to find their way. Most participants had a history of depression. Interviews, along with diary and questionnaire data, were analyzed through iterative coding to identify these conducive factors. The findings can help design effective walking retreats and support offering mindful walking retreats as a regular part of mindfulness programs.
PLoS One
December 2, 2021
Imke Hanssen, Vera Scheepbouwer, Marloes J. Huijbers et al.
12 citations
Adverse effects during Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for bipolar disorder are not rare but are generally not serious or long-lasting. In a randomized trial with 144 patients, 29 reported adverse effects, most frequently in the first three weeks. Seven types of adverse effects were observed: cognitive, perceptual, affective, somatic, conative, sense of self, and social. Higher baseline anxiety increased risk. More than half of patients later viewed the adverse effects as part of a therapeutic process rather than harmful. Influencing factors included predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and mitigating elements.
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.
Psychological Medicine
October 1, 2023
Imke Hanssen, Marloes J. Huijbers, Eline Regeer et al.
7 citations
Adding mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to treatment as usual (TAU) for bipolar disorder did not reduce depressive symptoms more than TAU alone at post-treatment or at 15 months follow-up. The 144 participants with bipolar I or II were randomly assigned to MBCT plus TAU or TAU only. At post-treatment, MBCT improved mindfulness skills more than TAU. At follow-up, TAU was more effective than MBCT plus TAU for reducing trait anxiety and improving mindfulness skills and positive mental health. Participants with higher baseline depression and functional impairment benefited more from MBCT plus TAU, suggesting MBCT may help those with moderate to severe depression and impairment.
Inflammatory bowel diseases
July 14, 2025
Milou M Ter Avest, Marloes J. Huijbers, Carmen S Horjus et al.
6 citations
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) added to usual care reduces psychological distress and improves well-being in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who are in remission but experiencing at least mild distress. In a randomized trial with 142 participants, those receiving group MBCT showed a moderate reduction in distress (effect size -0.61) and improved well-being (0.40) after the intervention, with effects strengthening over time. Objective sleep measures indicated less total sleep time but a higher proportion of deep sleep. Although flare rates did not differ, fecal calprotectin levels, a marker of gut inflammation, decreased in the MBCT group over the follow-up period (effect size -0.49). MBCT may benefit both psychological and biological aspects of IBD.
BMC Neurology
June 25, 2024
Anouk Van der Heide, Franziska Goltz, Nienke M De Vries et al.
5 citations
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) may reduce anxiety and depression in people with Parkinson's disease (PD), who are highly sensitive to stress. A randomized controlled trial will compare 8 weeks of MBCT to usual care in 124 PD patients with mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression, disease duration ≤10 years, and no prior mindfulness experience. Participants are followed for 12 months, with clinical, biochemical, and MRI assessments at baseline, 2 months, and 12 months. The primary outcome is change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score at 2 months. The trial also explores effects on motor symptoms, stress markers, and biomarkers of PD progression.
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.
BMC Psychiatry
February 14, 2025
Maud Schepers, Paul Lagerweij, Dirk E. M. Geurts et al.
2 citations
Internalizing problems like worrying, anxiety, and low mood are increasingly common in youth and may signal early-stage mental illness. This randomized controlled trial will test whether a mindfulness-based program called Learning to Offset Stress, added to usual care, reduces internalizing symptoms in 155 help-seeking youth aged 16–25. The program combines mindfulness exercises with mindful physical activity and yoga over eight weekly sessions. Assessments occur at baseline, end of treatment, and at two and six months after treatment. The primary outcome is the level of internalizing problems measured by the Adult Self Report questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include self-compassion, rumination, experiential avoidance, and well-being, along with brain imaging and cognitive tasks. The trial aims to clarify how early mindfulness intervention may alter symptom development and mental illness progression.
International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research
September 12, 2023
Ben Wijnen, Maud Jansen, Annelieke Van Velthoven et al.
2 citations
Adding mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to treatment as usual (TAU) for adults with bipolar disorder is likely cost-effective compared to TAU alone. Over 15 months, total societal costs were €615 lower for the MBCT-plus-TAU group, and healthcare costs differed significantly between groups. A small gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) combined with lower costs (€836 after adjustment) made MBCT-plus-TAU the dominant strategy. The probability that the combination was cost-effective was 65%. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these results. The difference in clinical effect was small or negligible, but the intervention still reduced overall costs.
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
June 12, 2026
Thorsten Barnhofer, Maria Niemi, Johannes Michalak et al.
1 citation
For adults with difficult-to-treat depression—those who have not responded to prior treatments, have treatment-resistant depression, or have a chronic course—mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is likely superior to usual care, reducing depressive symptoms by a standardized mean difference of -0.40 at post-treatment and -0.41 at medium-term follow-up. There was a 92% and 85% probability, respectively, that these benefits exceeded a minimal important difference. However, MBCT did not show clear superiority over other active psychosocial interventions, and no robust moderators of outcome were identified across baseline severity, chronicity, or comorbidity.
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.
Frontiers in Education
April 9, 2024
Johanna H. Lensen, Sabine E. M. J. Stoltz, Marloes Kleinjan et al.
A standard eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program substantially reduced perceived stress in Dutch elementary school teachers. In a randomized trial with 146 teachers, those who took MBSR reported significantly lower stress than a waitlist control group, with a large effect immediately after the program and a moderate effect three months later. The program also improved teachers' mindfulness skills, emotion regulation, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and classroom climate quality. No effect was found on pupil-teacher relationships. The COVID-19 pandemic did not influence the results. The findings support wider use of MBSR to improve teacher well-being.
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.
BJPsych Open
March 9, 2023
Dirk E. M. Geurts, Felix R. Compen, Marleen H.C.T. van Beek et al.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) significantly reduced depressive symptoms in a large naturalistic cohort of 765 patients with major depressive disorder treated in a real-world outpatient clinic in the Netherlands. Depressive symptoms decreased by an average of 7.7 points on a self-report scale, a large effect. Improvements in worry, mindfulness skills, and self-compassion also occurred and were linked to changes in depression. The benefits were independent of whether patients had recurrent depression or were currently in remission. Patients who were unemployed showed less improvement. Treatment adherence was high at 94%, though patients with lower education were more likely to not complete the program. The findings show that MBCT works as well in routine clinical practice as in controlled research settings.
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.
Thalia D.M. Stalmeier, Jelle Lubbers, Mira B. Cladder-Micus et al.
In people with bipolar disorder, negative self-referential processing—how one attributes negative traits to oneself and remembers them—is linked to depressive symptoms. In a randomized trial, 49 participants with bipolar disorder were assigned to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy plus treatment as usual or treatment as usual alone. Those who received MBCT showed a reduction in negative self-referential memory bias over time compared to the control group, while positive and negative self-attributions did not change differently between groups. The findings suggest that MBCT may specifically reduce negative memory bias, which could play a role in preventing or treating depressive symptoms in bipolar disorder.