Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Body Awareness in Patients with Chronic Pain and Comorbid Depression
Marasha De Jong, Sara W. Lazar, Kiran Hug, Wolf Mehling, Britta K. Hölzel, Alexander T. Sack, Frenk Peeters, Heidi Ashih, David Mischoulon, Tim Gard
Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2016 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00967 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 31 |
| Population | Patients with chronic pain and comorbid active depression |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy |
| Topics | Meditation Depression |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Clinical psychology Depression economics Population Chronic pain Pain catastrophizing Psychological intervention Cognitive bias Intervention counseling Cognition Physical therapy |
| Citations | 200 |
| Key findings | MBCT increased self-regulation and not-distracting facets of body awareness more than treatment as usual, and the effect on depression was mediated by not-distracting. |
Abstract
Body awareness has been proposed as one of the major mechanisms of mindfulness interventions, and it has been shown that chronic pain and depression are associated with decreased levels of body awareness. We investigated the effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on body awareness in patients with chronic pain and comorbid active depression compared to treatment as usual (TAU; N = 31). Body awareness was measured by a subset of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA) scales deemed most relevant for the population. These included: Noticing, Not-Distracting, Attention Regulation, Emotional Awareness, and Self-Regulation. In addition, pain catastrophizing was measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). These scales had adequate to high internal consistency in the current sample. Depression severity was measured by the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated (QIDS-C16). Increases in the MBCT group were significantly greater than in the TAU group on the "Self-Regulation" and "Not Distracting" scales. Furthermore, the positive effect of MBCT on depression severity was mediated by "Not Distracting." These findings provide preliminary evidence that a mindfulness-based intervention may increase facets of body awareness as assessed with the MAIA in a population of pain patients with depression. Furthermore, they are consistent with a long hypothesized mechanism for mindfulness and emphasize the clinical relevance of body awareness.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 58
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
- The relationship between mindfulness and objective measures of body awareness: A meta-analysis Scientific Reports November 22, 2019
- From Self-Esteem to Selflessness: An Evidence (Gap) Map of Self-Related Processes as Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Interventions Frontiers in Psychology November 22, 2021
- Exploring the past, present, and future of the mindfulness field: A multitechnique bibliometric review Frontiers in Psychology July 26, 2022
- Compassion and Loving-Kindness Meditation: An Overview and Prospects for the Application in Clinical Samples Harvard Review of Psychiatry July 1, 2018
and 53 more in the library
Cites 33
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
and 28 more in the library