The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on PTSD and depression symptoms in trauma-exposed black adults: Pilot randomized controlled trial results.
Malin Au, Rebecca Lipschutz, Yara Mekawi, Emma C Lathan, H Drew Dixon, Sierra Carter, Rebecca Hinrichs, Bekh Bradley, Nadine J Kaslow, Nicole R Nugent, Abigail Powers
Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders December 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2024.100092 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 80 |
| Population | Low-income, urban-dwelling Black adults with repeated trauma exposure, PTSD, and depression |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Depression Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Posttraumatic stress disorder |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | MBCT did not significantly reduce total PTSD or depression symptoms compared to waitlist control, but avoidance symptoms showed a nominally significant decrease in the MBCT group. |
Abstract
Low-income, urban-dwelling Black adults are disproportionately affected by traumatic experiences, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression and encounter inequities in treatment access. In addition to the benefits Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for depression, there is preliminary evidence of successful symptom reduction in PTSD via MBCT across two prior pilot studies in veterans. Studies examining the effects of MBCT among trauma-exposed Black adults remains limited, and examination of effects across specific PTSD clusters is almost nonexistent. We examined the preliminary efficacy of adapted MBCT versus waitlist control (WLC) on PTSD and depression symptoms in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). Black adults (N = 80; 86.10 % women) with repeated trauma exposure, who screened positive for PTSD and depression, were recruited from an urban public hospital and randomized to 8-week adapted MBCT or WLC. Symptoms were measured pretreatment and posttreatment with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Mixed model analyses were conducted with an intent-to-treat approach, examining change in PTSD and depression scores between MBCT and WLC over time. There was no significant difference in total PTSD and depression symptom change between MBCT and WLC. CAPS-5 avoidance symptoms showed a nominally significant decrease in the MBCT group (F[1, 68.10] = 5.98, p = .017; t[71.60] = 3.61, p < .001). Findings suggest MBCT might be helpful for addressing avoidance symptoms among Black adults with comorbid PTSD and depression. Although lacking power to draw final conclusions about treatment efficacy, this study provides preliminary data suggesting the importance of future fully powered trials.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychological Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry July 30, 2025
- Improved Mindfulness Following Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial with Trauma-Exposed Black Adults. Mindfulness 2025
Cites 10
- A PILOT STUDY OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) FOR COMBAT VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) Depression and Anxiety April 17, 2013
- Feasibility and acceptability of a virtual mindfulness intervention for Black adults with PTSD and depression: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2024
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
- Primary care-based mindfulness intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms among Black adults: A pilot feasibility and acceptability randomized controlled trial. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy July 2023
- A Brief Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Intervention as a Population-Level Strategy for Anxiety and Depression International Journal of Cognitive Therapy April 20, 2021
and 5 more in the library