Addressing psychosomatic symptom distress with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in somatic symptom disorder: mediating effects of self-compassion and alexithymia.
Lianrong Xu, Jihong Shi, Chengwen Li
Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1289872 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 116 |
| Population | Somatic symptom disorder patients who completed ≥4 MBCT sessions |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Duration | 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Alexithymia Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Psychosomatic distress Self-compassion Somatic symptom disorder |
| Key points | Changes in self-compassion and alexithymia mediated improvement in psychosomatic distress following MBCT, with alleviation of alexithymia potentially preceding improvement in self-compassion. |
Abstract
This study explored the association between self-compassion, alexithymia, and psychosomatic symptom distress in a clinical sample of somatic symptom disorder (SSD) patients participating in a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program. One hundred sixteen SSD patients who had participated in an MBCT program and completed ≥4 intervention sessions were included in a retrospective study (76.7% women, mean age = 40.0, SD = 9.5). Psychometric measures of psychosomatic symptom distress [Brief Symptom Inventory-18 Global Severity Index (BSI-GSI)], self-compassion [Self-Compassion Scale (SCS)], and alexithymia [Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS)] were collected upon admission to the MBCT program and at 6-month follow-up following treatment inclusion. Serial mediation analysis (MBCT→ΔSCS→ΔTAS→ΔBSI-GSI) suggested that changes in both self-compassion and alexithymia had significant indirect effects on improvement in psychosomatic distress [ΔSCS β = -1.810, 95% bootstrap CI (-2.488, -1.160); ΔTAS β = -1.615, bootstrap 95% CI (-2.413, -0.896); ΔSCS→ΔTAS β = -0.621, bootstrap CI (-1.032, -0.315)]. Furthermore, a post-hoc analysis with a reverse sequence (MBCT→ΔTAS→ΔSCS→ΔBSI-GSI) revealed that reduction in alexithymia improved psychosomatic distress and that an increase in self-compassion was a subsequent outcome of alleviation of alexithymia [ΔTAS β = -2.235, bootstrap 95% CI (-3.305, -1.270); ΔSCS β = 0.013, 95% bootstrap CI (-0.600, 0.682); ΔTAS→ΔSCS β = -1.823, bootstrap CI (-2.770, -1.047)]. Both alleviation of alexithymia and improvement in self-compassion play a mediating role in the reduction of psychosomatic distress in SSD patients following an MBCT program. Improvement in self-compassion might be a subsequent outcome of MBCT-related alleviation of alexithymia.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Enhancing Traumatic Stress Recovery Through Nonattachment Principles: A Scoping Review Journal of Personalized Medicine December 9, 2025
- A Pilot Feasibility Study of Mindful Walking in Older Adults: Exploratory Bayesian Estimates of Psychological Distress and Alexithymia International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health June 25, 2026
- Efficacy and mechanisms of internet-delivered mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for Adjustment Disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Anxiety Disorders July 1, 2026
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