Mediators of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Maja Johannsen, E. Nissen, M. Lundorff, Mia S O'Toole
Clinical Psychology Review April 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102156 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance collectively showed a small-to-medium mediating effect on anxiety and depression outcomes in acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies, but mediator specificity could not be established and causal evidence was limited. |
Abstract
Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies have shown efficacy in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Arguably, acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies target core processes in anxiety and depression by increasing mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance. The present study identified randomized controlled trials of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety and depression. Specifically, we aimed to synthesize the indirect effect of the three putative mediators (i.e., mindful attention, decentering, acceptance) on anxiety and depression. Electronic searches yielded 4989 unique records, which were screened for eligibility by two independent raters, resulting in the identification of 33 eligible studies (30 independent trials). The overall pooled mediating effect of mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance was small to medium (r = 0.145, p < .001). Type of mediation analysis emerged as the only statistically significant moderator. Specifically, studies using correlation-based mediation approaches showed statistically significant mediating effects, while studies using causal time-lag analyses did not yield statistically significant mediating effects. Mediator specificity could not be established. In conclusion, putative mediators of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies mediated treatment effects on anxiety and depression. Limitations in study number, designs, and statistical approaches employed restrict conclusions regarding specificity and causality.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 32
- Psychological Outcomes and Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Training for Generalised Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Current Psychology May 11, 2023
- The effectiveness of mindfulness yoga on patients with major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies September 8, 2023
- Distress tolerance as a mediator of mindfulness-based intervention for anxiety and depression: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials. International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP 2024
- The Correlation Between Mindfulness, Decentering, and Psychological Problems: A Structural Equation Modeling Meta-Analysis Mindfulness July 2, 2024
- Psychological and attentional outcomes following acute mindfulness induction among high anxiety individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research February 1, 2024
and 27 more in the library
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