Intervention Integrity in Mindfulness-Based Research.
Rebecca S. Crane, Frederick M Hecht
Mindfulness 2018 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-018-0886-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-Adherence Scale (MBCT-AS), Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention-Adherence and Competence Scale (MBRP-AC), Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that intervention integrity is a critical but neglected methodological issue in mindfulness-based program research, and that inconsistent curricula and variable teacher competence threaten the field. Contends that the three existing integrity tools (MBCT-AS, MBRP-AC, MBI:TAC) require further research on reliability and links to participant outcomes, and recommends the TIDieR guidelines for reporting and verifying program delivery. |
Abstract
Assessing program or intervention fidelity/integrity is an important methodological consideration in clinical and educational research. These critical variables influence the degree to which outcomes can be attributed to the program and the success of the transition from research to practice and back again. Research in the Mindfulness-Based Program (MBP) field has been expanding rapidly over the last 20 years, but little attention has been given to how to assess intervention integrity within research and practice settings. The proliferation of different program forms, inconsistency in adhering to published curriculum guides, and variability of training levels and competency of trial teachers all pose grave risks to the sustainable development of the science of MBPs going forward. Three tools for assessing intervention integrity in the MBP field have been developed and researched to assess adherence and/or teaching competence: the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-Adherence Scale (MBCT-AS), the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention-Adherence and Competence Scale (MBRP-AC), and the Mindfulness-Based Interventions: Teaching Assessment Criteria (MBI:TAC). Further research is needed on these tools to better define their inter-rater reliability and their ability to measure elements of teaching competence that are important for participant outcomes. Research going forward needs to include systematic and consistent methods for demonstrating and verifying that the MBP was delivered as intended, both to ensure the rigor of individual studies and to enable different studies of the same MBP to be fairly and validly compared with each other. The critical variable of the teaching also needs direct investigation in future research. We recommend the use of the "Template for Intervention Description and Replication" (TIDieR) guidelines for addressing and reporting on intervention integrity during the various phases of the conduct of research and provide specific suggestions about how to implement these guidelines when reporting studies of mindfulness-based programs.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 27
- Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP): Stage 1 single-arm clinical trial PLoS One November 27, 2019
- Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience October 17, 2022
- Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2021
- Mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy: An efficacy study for mental health care staff Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing May 21, 2018
- A meta-analysis of mindfulness-based interventions for improving mental health and burden among caregivers of persons living with dementia. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing April 1, 2024
and 22 more in the library
Cites 14
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2004
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
and 9 more in the library