Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Masoume Sheikhzadeh, Zahra Zanjani, Alireza Baari
Iranian Journal of Psychiatry July 2021 DOI: 10.18502/ijps.v16i3.6252 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Patients diagnosed with cancer |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) |
| Duration | 8 weekly treatment sessions |
| Measures | Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Cancer-Related Fatigue Scale (CFS) |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Fatigue |
| Key findings | CBT and MBCT both significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and fatigue scores compared with a wait-list group, and the two therapies did not differ significantly from each other for anxiety or depression. For fatigue, only CBT showed a significant benefit over the wait-list (P = 0.01). The authors conclude MBCT is a good alternative to CBT for emotional symptoms, while CBT may be preferable for fatigue. |
Abstract
Objective: Cancer is associated with some psychological problems that play an important role in the severity and continuity of cancer. Cancer may lead to maladaptive psychological reactions such as anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent in cancer patients. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety, depression, and fatigue in cancer patients. Method : The present study was a randomized clinical trial (RCT). Of the 100 patients diagnosed with cancer, 60 patients were eligible to participate in this study according to the inclusion / exclusion criteria. They were randomly assigned into 3 groups: MBCT, CBT, and wait-list group (WLG). Afterward, the experimental groups received 8 weekly treatment sessions. All the participants fulfilled the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Cancer-Related Fatigue Scale (CFS) before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS-16 software by Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA).
Results: The results indicated a significant reduction in depression, anxiety, and fatigue scores in CBT and MBCT groups. There was a significant difference between both treatment groups with WLG in the anxiety and depression, but no significant difference was found between MBCT and CBT groups. Additionally, there was only a significant difference between the CBT group and WLG in terms of fatigue (P = 0.01).
Conclusion: CBT and MBCT performed equally well in decreasing anxiety and depression in cancer patients, and they were significantly better than WLG. It seems that MBCT is a good alternative to CBT for decreasing emotional symptoms in cancer patients. As a result, CBT and MBCT could be considered a good addition to pharmacological treatment of cancer patients with comorbid psychological symptoms. However, CBT was preferable to MBCT in decreasing fatigue. The study was registered at the irct.ir database under registration number IRCT20180503039509N1.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- The Efficacy and Durability of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine May 1, 2025
- Cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based interventions for distress in patients with advanced cancer: A meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology 2024
- Mindfulness-based interventions for cancer patients in standard treatment: A meta-analysis of effects on depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Journal of Psychosomatic Research July 5, 2025
- Mindfulness in Adaptation to Bereavement: A Systematic Review Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy November 1, 2025
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Reducing Cancer-Related Fatigue: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psycho-Oncology March 1, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 9
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- Mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy: an efficacious community‐based group intervention for depression and anxiety in a sample of cancer patients The Medical Journal of Australia September 1, 2010
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for Japanese breast cancer patients-a feasibility study. Japanese journal of clinical oncology January 1, 2018
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and 4 more in the library