The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Primary Care and the Role of Depression Severity and Treatment Attendance
Matilde Elices, Víctor Pérez Sola, Adrián Pérez-aranda, Francesc Colom, Maria Polo, Luis Miguel Martín-López, Miguel Gárriz
Mindfulness February 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-021-01794-3 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) delivered in primary care can effectively reduce depressive symptoms, especially for those with severe depression. Among 433 individuals, 60% had moderate-to-severe depression before treatment. After MBCT, 35.6% of the severely depressed group recovered. Only 2.1 to 2.7% deteriorated. Higher pre-treatment depression severity, more sessions attended, and younger age were linked to greater symptom improvement, while personality traits were not. MBCT appears safe and effective in real-world primary care settings.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 433 |
| Population | Individuals receiving MBCT in primary care |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Key finding | MBCT delivered in primary care is effective and safe, with 35.6% of severely depressed participants recovering and low deterioration rates (2.1-2.7%). |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives Evidence suggests the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to prevent depression relapse and decrease depressive symptoms during the acute phase. However, the effectiveness of MBCT in real-world heterogeneous samples treated in clinical health settings, including primary care, has received little attention. This study had two aims: (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of MBCT delivered in primary care considering pre-treatment depression scores and (2) to explore the role of participants’ characteristics on symptom improvement. Methods Data were obtained from 433 individuals who received MBCT. Participants completed the Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD) pretreatment and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) pre- and post-treatment. Results Sixty percent presented moderate-to-severe depression according to scores on the BDI-II, 18.1% presented mild depression, and 21.7% were in the non-depressed range. The severity of pre-treatment depressive symptoms was associated with outcomes. Most individuals who lacked depressive symptoms at baseline remained in the non-clinical range after the treatment. Those in the severe group benefited the most from the intervention, since 35.6% were considered recovered. Rates of deterioration ranged from 2.1 to 2.7%, depending on the depression-baseline scores. Depression severity at the entrance, attendance, and age, but not personality traits, appear to be related to symptom improvement. Conclusions According to our results, MBCT can be effectively and safely delivered in primary care.