Preliminary Investigation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Social Anxiety Disorder That Integrates Compassion Meditation and Mindful Exposure.
Diana Koszycki, Jennifer Thake, Céline Mavounza, Jean-Philippe Daoust, Monica Taljaard, Jacques Bradwejn
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2016 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2015.0108 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | Persons with social anxiety disorder |
| Duration | 12-week intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | The MBI-SAD intervention improved social anxiety symptom severity, depression, and social adjustment compared to a waitlist control, with gains maintained at 3-month follow-up. |
Abstract
This study evaluated the feasibility and initial efficacy of a 12-week group mindfulness-based intervention tailored for persons with social anxiety disorder (MBI-SAD). The intervention includes elements of the standard mindfulness-based stress reduction program, explicit training in self-compassion aimed at cultivating a more accepting and kinder stance toward oneself, and use of exposure procedures to help participants practice responding mindfully to internal experiences evoked by feared social situations. Participants were randomly assigned to the MBI-SAD (n = 21) or a waitlist (WL) (n = 18) control group. Feasibility was assessed by the number of participants who completed at least 75% of the 12 weekly group sessions. Primary efficacy outcomes were clinician- and self-rated measures of social anxiety. Other outcomes included clinician ratings of illness severity and self-rated depression, social adjustment, mindfulness, and self-compassion. The MBI-SAD was acceptable and feasible, with 81% of participants attending at least 75% of sessions. The MBI-SAD fared better than WL in improving social anxiety symptom severity (p ≤ 0.0001), depression (p ≤ 0.05), and social adjustment (p ≤ 0.05). The intervention also enhanced self-compassion (p ≤ 0.05), and facets of mindfulness (observe and aware; p ≤ .05). MBI-SAD treatment gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up. These preliminary findings suggest that an MBI that integrates explicit training in self-compassion and mindful exposure is a feasible and promising intervention for social anxiety disorder. The next step is to compare the MBI-SAD to the gold standard of cognitive-behavior therapy to determine equivalence or noninferiority and to explore mediators and moderators of treatment outcome.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- A Pilot Study of the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Brain Response to Traumatic Reminders of Combat in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom Combat Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Frontiers in Psychiatry August 25, 2017
- Effects of Mindfulness with Gayatri Mantra on Decreasing Anxiety in the Elderly Holistic Nursing and Health Science July 10, 2018
- Potential processes of change in MDMA-Assisted therapy for social anxiety disorder: Enhanced memory reconsolidation, self-transcendence, and therapeutic relationships. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental May 1, 2022
- Don’t be afraid, try to meditate- potential effects on neural activity and connectivity of psilocybin-assisted mindfulness-based intervention for social anxiety disorder: A systematic review Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews June 6, 2022
- Feasibility study of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for anxiety disorders in a Japanese setting BMC research notes September 6, 2018
and 11 more in the library
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- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
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