Pilot Study of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Trainee Clinical Psychologists
Katharine A. Rimes, Janet Wingrove
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy December 13, 2010 DOI: 10.1017/s1352465810000731 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post observational study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | Trainee clinical psychologists |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) modified for stress |
| Duration | 8-week course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 114 |
| Key findings | MBCT reduced rumination and increased self-compassion and mindfulness among trainees. More home practice was associated with greater improvements in stress, anxiety, rumination, and empathic concern. Only first-year trainees showed a significant decrease in stress. Most participants reported increased acceptance, client understanding, and awareness, with 85% noting an impact on their clinical work. |
Abstract
Background: It is recommended that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) instructors should undertake MBCT themselves before teaching others.
Aim: To investigate the impact of MBCT (modified for stress not depression) on trainee clinical psychologists.
Method: Twenty trainees completed questionnaires pre- and post-MBCT.
Results: There was a significant decrease in rumination, and increases in self-compassion and mindfulness. More frequent home practice was associated with larger decreases in stress, anxiety and rumination, and larger increases in empathic concern. Only first-year trainees showed a significant decrease in stress. Content analysis of written responses indicated that the most commonly reported effects were increased acceptance of thoughts/feelings (70%), increased understanding of what it is like to be a client (60%), greater awareness of thoughts/feelings/behaviours/bodily sensations (55%) and increased understanding of oneself and one's patterns of responding (55%). Participants reported increased metacognitive awareness and decentring in relation to negative thoughts. Eighty-five percent reported an impact on their clinical work by the end of the course.
Conclusions: Trainee psychologists undergoing MBCT experienced many of the psychological processes/effects that they may eventually be helping to cultivate in clients using mindfulness interventions, and also benefits in their general clinical work.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 29
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- The impact of mindfulness on well-being and performance in the workplace: an inclusive systematic review of the empirical literature European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology April 19, 2017
- Compassionate hearts protect against wandering minds: Self-compassion moderates the effect of mind-wandering on depression. Spirituality in Clinical Practice August 2, 2018
- Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience October 17, 2022
and 24 more in the library
Cites 3
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005