Attentional Control May Be Modifiable with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide
Megan S Chesin, John G Keilp, Anna Kline, Barbara Stanley, C. Myers, Miriam Latorre, Lauren M St Hill, Rachael B Miller, Arlene King, Dianna R. Boschulte, Kailyn M. Rodriguez, Michael Callahan, Megan M Sedita, Alejandro Interian
Behaviour Research and Therapy October 1, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.103988 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 135 |
| Population | High suicide risk Veterans |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide (MBCT-S) |
| Duration | 6-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBCT-S was associated with a more favorable trajectory of attentional control over time, as indicated by performance on two emotion Stroop tasks, in high suicide risk Veterans. |
Abstract
Objective: To test whether Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide (MBCT-S) is associated with improvement in attentional control, an objective marker of suicide attempt.
Method: In the context of a randomized clinical trial targeting suicide risk in Veterans, computerized Stroop and emotion Stroop (E-Stroop) tasks were administered 3 times over 6-months follow-up to 135 high suicide risk Veterans. Seventy were randomized to receive MBCT-S in addition to enhanced treatment as usual (eTAU), and 65 were randomized to eTAU only. E-Stroop word types included positively- and negatively-valenced emotion, suicide, and combat-related words. Interference scores and mixed effects linear regression analyses were used.
Results: Veterans receiving MBCT-S showed a more favorable trajectory of attentional control over time, as indicated by performance on two E-Stroop tasks. Combat-stress interference scores improved over time among Veterans in MBCT-S. Interference processing time for negative affective words deteriorated over time among Veterans receiving eTAU only.
Conclusions: MBCT-S may effectively target attentional control, and in particular reduce processing time during affective interference, in high suicide risk Veterans. Future studies to replicate these findings are warranted.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
- Impact of Mindfulness Training on Physiological Measures of Stress and Objective Measures of Attention Control in a Military Helicopter Unit International Journal of Aviation Psychology October 2, 2015
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
- Modification of Attentional Bias to Emotional Faces Following Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in People with a Current Depression Mindfulness June 1, 2020
and 3 more in the library