Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, James Williams, Valerie Ridgeway, Judith M. Soulsby, Mark A. Lau
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology January 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.68.4.615 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), a group intervention, trains recovered recurrently depressed patients to disengage from depressive thinking patterns that can trigger relapse. In a randomized trial with 145 recovered recurrently depressed patients, MBCT plus treatment as usual was compared to treatment as usual alone over 60 weeks. For patients with three or more previous depressive episodes (77% of the sample), MBCT significantly reduced the risk of relapse or recurrence. However, for patients with only two previous episodes, MBCT did not reduce relapse. MBCT offers a promising, cost-effective psychological approach to preventing relapse in recovered recurrently depressed patients.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 145 |
| Population | Recovered recurrently depressed patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Duration | 60-week study period |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Relapse prevention Dysphoria Depression economics Randomized controlled trial |
| Citations | 2,613 |
| Key finding | For patients with three or more previous episodes of depression, MBCT significantly reduced risk of relapse/recurrence, but for patients with only two previous episodes, MBCT did not reduce relapse/recurrence. |
Abstract
This study evaluated mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), a group intervention designed to train recovered recurrently depressed patients to disengage from dysphoria-activated depressogenic thinking that may mediate relapse/recurrence. Recovered recurrently depressed patients (n = 145) were randomized to continue with treatment as usual or, in addition, to receive MBCT. Relapse/recurrence to major depression was assessed over a 60-week study period. For patients with 3 or more previous episodes of depression (77% of the sample), MBCT significantly reduced risk of relapse/recurrence. For patients with only 2 previous episodes, MBCT did not reduce relapse/recurrence. MBCT offers a promising cost-efficient psychological approach to preventing relapse/recurrence in recovered recurrently depressed patients.