Changes in mindfulness facets across yoga, CBT and stress education in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.
Danielle Moskow Diamond, David Rosenfield, Nikki Kaiser, Amanda W Baker, Elizabeth A Hoge, Sat Bir S Khalsa, Stefan G Hofmann, Naomi M Simon
Journal of Mood and Anxiety Disorders June 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.xjmad.2024.100058 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 226 |
| Population | Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder |
| Interventions | Kundalini Yoga cognitive behavioral therapy stress education |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Stress Therapy Treatment Yoga |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | The Non-judge, Act with Awareness, and Non-react facets of mindfulness increased significantly during treatment, with greater improvement in Acting with Awareness for Kundalini Yoga than for cognitive behavioral therapy. |
Abstract
Improving mindfulness is an important treatment target for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). However, less is known about how different treatments impact specific aspects of mindfulness. In a clinical trial (Simon et al., 2021), 226 individuals with GAD were randomized to 12 weeks of Kundalini Yoga (KY), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or stress education (SE). To examine whether specific facets of mindfulness, as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) change more than others across treatment and between treatments, we ran a multi-variate multilevel growth curve model (MMLM). Results indicated that while the Non-judge, Act with Awareness, and Non-react facets increased significantly during treatment, the Observe and Describe facets did not. Improvement in the Acting with Awareness facet during treatment was significantly greater for KY than CBT. These findings reveal the need to better understand how behavioral treatments can influence specific components of mindfulness for those with anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Influence of anxiety sensitivity on the observe facet of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire: differential item functioning in a clinical population. BMC Psychiatry April 1, 2025
- Mindful Non-reactivity, Anxiety, Depression, and Perceived Stress as Mediators of the Mindfulness Virtual Community Intervention: Pathways to Enhance Mental Health in University Students. JMIR Mental Health May 13, 2025
- Mindful Parenting for Caregivers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorder Diagnosis Children February 26, 2026
Cites 9
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- The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Affective Symptoms: A Meta-analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) Clinical Psychology Review November 11, 2019
- Mindfulness, Interoception, and the Body: A Contemporary Perspective Frontiers in Psychology September 13, 2019
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression Psychiatric Clinics of North America September 18, 2017
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic low back pain: similar effects on mindfulness, catastrophizing, self-efficacy, and acceptance in a randomized controlled trial. Pain November 2016
and 4 more in the library