Does baseline psychiatric symptom severity predict well-being improvement in low-intensity mindfulness interventions?
Alexandra K Gold, Dustin J Rabideau, Daniel Nolte, Caylin M Faria, Spencer Yunfeng Deng, Nevita George, Chelsea Boccagno, Christina M Temes, Masoud Kamali, Nur Akpolat, Andrew A. Nierenberg, Louisa G Sylvia
Psychiatry research communications September 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.psycom.2024.100182 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a randomized trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 4,411 |
| Population | Individuals with physical and mental health conditions |
| Interventions | mindfulness-based cognitive therapy mindfulness intervention |
| Duration | Eight-session or three-session intervention, follow-up duration not specified |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Low-intensity treatments Social functioning |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Baseline symptom severity was associated with well-being trajectory: those with more severe anxiety, depression, or social functioning had lower well-being across time, and although all subgroups initially improved, individuals with worse severity rebounded toward baseline during follow-up. |
Abstract
Regardless of baseline psychiatric symptom severity, individuals can improve from psychotherapy, including from low-intensity psychosocial treatments. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized trial of low-intensity mindfulness interventions to explore if and how specific indices of baseline symptom severity were associated with well-being trajectories during treatment and follow-up. In the original study, participants (N = 4, 411) with physical and mental health conditions were randomly assigned to one of two low-intensity mindfulness interventions (eight-session mindfulness-based cognitive therapy or a three-session mindfulness intervention). In this secondary analysis, we pooled across treatment groups and stratified participants into subgroups based on self-reported baseline levels of anxiety, depression, and social functioning. We used linear mixed effects models and descriptive trajectory plots to evaluate differences in well-being trajectories between subgroups. Baseline symptom severity was associated with well-being trajectory such that those with more severe anxiety, depression, or social functioning at baseline had generally lower well-being across time. All subgroups experienced initial improvement in well-being during the treatment period, though individuals with worse symptom severity tended not to sustain improvements and rebounded back towards baseline well-being levels during follow-up. These data suggest that, for individuals with more severe mental health symptoms, eight or three-session mindfulness-based interventions may still be clinically useful (as patients with more severe symptoms in this study were able to experience initial improvement in well-being from such interventions). However, for such patients, offering these mindfulness-based interventions for a longer duration may have prevented symptom rebounding.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse JAMA Psychiatry April 28, 2016
- The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on caregiver burden, quality of life and psychological distress in caregivers of adults with chronic diseases: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing October 1, 2024
- Web-Based Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Well-being: Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research September 12, 2022
- A randomised trial comparing a brief online delivery of mindfulness-plus-values versus values only for symptoms of depression: Does baseline severity matter? Journal of Affective Disorders July 21, 2020
- Baseline Patterns of Substance Use Disorder Severity and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Moderate the Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology November 1, 2017