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Supported Mindfulness-Based Self-Help Intervention as an Adjunctive Treatment for Rapid Symptom Change in Emotional Disorders: A Practice-Oriented Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

Yanjuan Li, Yi Zhang, Chun Wang, Jia Luo, Yang Yu, Shixing Feng, Chunxue Wang, Qianwen Xu, Pengchong Wang, Junxuan Chen, Ning Zhang, Qianmei Yu, Yuqing Liu, Danyun Chen, Stefan G Hofmann, Xinghua Liu

Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2025 DOI: 10.1159/000542937 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 302
Population Patients with emotional disorders from four centers
Intervention Mindfulness-based self-help
Duration 8-week intervention, 3-month follow-up
Topics Meditation
Keywords Emotional disorders Mindfulness-based self-help intervention
Citations 13
Key findings Facilitator-supported mindfulness-based self-help plus treatment as usual produced significantly greater improvements in anxiety, depression, and secondary outcomes than treatment as usual alone, with some gains evident by week 3 or 5 and sustained at 3-month follow-up.

Abstract

Rapid symptom relief is crucial for individuals with emotional disorders. The current study aimed to determine whether facilitator-supported mindfulness-based self-help (MBSH) intervention as an adjunctive treatment could provide rapid improvement for individuals with emotional disorders. A practice-oriented randomized controlled trial was conducted on a sample of 302 patients with emotional disorders from four centers. Participants were randomly assigned to either MBSH+TAU (treatment as usual; n = 152) or TAU-only group (n = 150). Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 3, week 5, immediately after intervention and at a 3-month follow-up. Primary outcomes included self-reported and clinician-reported anxiety and depression symptoms. Secondary outcomes included mindfulness, physical symptoms, perceived stress, sleep quality, and inner peace. The MBSH+TAU group achieved significantly greater improvements in all primary and secondary outcome measures as compared with TAU-only immediately after intervention (Cohen's d = 0.19-0.51). In addition, relatively greater improvements were observed in self-reported depression, mindfulness, physical symptoms, perceived stress, and inner peace as early as week 3 or 5, which were sustained at the 3-month follow-up (Cohen's d = 0.20-0.34). Facilitator-supported MBSH offers a scalable and effective adjunctive treatment option for patients with emotional disorders in clinical practice, facilitating rapid improvements.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment 2003 Randomized controlled trial n = 41
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults 2008 Randomized controlled trial n = 139
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students 2007 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

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Meditation Anxiety Depression