Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Emily Wharton, N. Kanas
International Journal of Group Psychotherapy May 6, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/00207284.2019.1599289 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | The text reviews the growth of mindfulness-based research for anxiety disorders, noting that the first MBSR study reported decreases in anxiety, panic, and depressive symptoms and that MBSR has been applied to clinical populations including pain, cancer, heart disease, depression, and anxiety. It describes MBSR as a structured group program centered on psychoeducation and experiential mindfulness exercises rather than interpersonal group process. |
Abstract
Over the past several decades, there has been a proliferation of research on the use of mindfulness techniques that increase awareness of present-moment thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The first study of one of these approaches, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), found significant decreases in anxiety, panic, and depressive symptoms (Kabat-Zinn et al., 1992). MBSR is a structured mindfulness-based intervention that has been applied to a wide range of clinical populations, such as patients with pain, cancer, heart disease, depression, and anxiety (Grossman, Niemann, Schmidt, & Walach, 2004). MBSR is conducted in a group format, in which a trained MBSR facilitator leads the group in psychoeducation about mindfulness theory and experiential exercises, such as body scan, yoga stretches, sitting meditation with awareness of breathing, and walking meditation (Santorelli, Kabat-Zinn, Blacker, Meleo-Meyer, & Koerbel, 2017). After each exercise, the facilitator leads a discussion in which participants share their reactions and ideas on how to implement the practices in daily life. The focus of the group is not on interpersonal processes but rather on experiential learning from practicing various mindfulness techniques. Groups may be heterogeneous or homogenous in terms of presenting problem areas of participants (Grossman International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 69: 362–372, 2019 Copyright © The American Group Psychotherapy Association, Inc. ISSN: 0020-7284 print/1943-2836 online DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207284.2019.1599289
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review General (healthcare, schools, workplace) | 2021 | Review | |
| A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders | 2017 | Review and consensus statement | |
| Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines | 2005 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology | 2018 | Review | |
| Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression: Challenges and Strategies | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Culturally Relevant Treatment for Racial or Ethnic Minorities Counseling and Therapy - Recent Developments in Theories and Practices September 28, 2022
- Pengaruh Pelatihan MBSR terhadap Kecemasan pada Mahasiswa Baru Gadjah Mada Journal of Professional Psychology October 28, 2020
Cites 10
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Group CBT versus MBSR for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology May 2016
- Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Effects on Anxiety and Stress Reactivity The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry March 13, 2013
- A randomized pilot study of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and group cognitive-behavioral therapy for young adults with social phobia. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology October 2010
- The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology April 1, 2010
and 5 more in the library