Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as an augmentation treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Brenda L Key, Karen Rowa, Peter Bieling, Randi E. McCabe, Elizabeth J Pawluk
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy September 2017 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2076 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized waitlist control trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | OCD patients who continued to have significant symptoms after completing a cognitive behavioural therapy intervention |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | 8-week MBCT intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Augmentation Cognitive behavioural therapy Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| Key findings | Adding 8-week MBCT after CBT was associated with large decreases in OCD symptoms (d = 1.38), depression (d = 1.25), anxiety (d = 1.02), and obsessive beliefs (d = 1.20), and increases in self-compassion and mindfulness skills (both d = 0.77) relative to a waitlist control. The authors suggest MBCT is acceptable to patients and provides some additional relief from residual symptoms, and should be explored further, including against further CBT. |
Abstract
A significant number of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients continue to experience symptoms that interfere with their functioning following cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Providing an additional augmentation treatment following CBT could help reduce these residual symptoms. Mindfulness interventions that facilitate less reactivity to thoughts and feelings may be helpful for patients suffering from residual OCD symptoms. The purpose of the current randomized waitlist control trial was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of providing an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention following completion of a CBT intervention to OCD patients who continued to suffer from significant symptoms. Results indicated that compared to the waitlist control group, MBCT participants reported decreases in OCD symptoms (d = 1.38), depression symptoms (d = 1.25), anxiety symptoms (d = 1.02), and obsessive beliefs (d = 1.20) along with increases in self-compassion (d = 0.77) and mindfulness skills (d = 0.77). Additionally, participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the MBCT intervention. The results suggest that the use of MBCT for OCD as an augmentation therapy is acceptable to patients who continue to suffer from OCD symptoms after completing CBT and provides some additional relief from residual symptoms. Mindfulness interventions teach skills that facilitate disengaging from cognitive routines and accepting internal experience, and these skills may be valuable in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as individuals describe getting "stuck" in repetitive thoughts and consequent rituals. The results of this study suggest that teaching mindfulness skills using an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention provides an added benefit (decreases in OCD, depression, and anxiety symptoms) for patients with OCD who have completed a cognitive behavioural therapy intervention and continued to suffer from significant symptoms. Participation in MBCT was also associated with increases in mindfulness skills including increased ability to be nonjudgmental and nonreactive. By fostering a nonjudgmental stance towards intrusive thoughts, mindfulness may discourage suppression and avoidance of thoughts and this could lead to increased habituation and a decreased reliance on compulsions. The use of MBCT as an augmentation treatment should be further explored to elucidate whether this treatment is beneficial for preventing relapse of OCD and could be compared against further cognitive behavioural therapy to see if offering participants a different and theoretically compelling intervention, such as MBCT, would outperform "more of the same" for individuals with OCD.
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
Cited by 24
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 24, 2018
- Mindfulness-based exposure and response prevention for obsessive compulsive disorder: Findings from a pilot randomised controlled trial Journal of Anxiety Disorders April 30, 2018
- Mindfulness and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease July 21, 2021
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial with functional magnetic resonance imaging and a 6-month follow-up Journal of Health Psychology July 5, 2018
- Mindfulness- and acceptance-based programmes for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders March 1, 2025
and 19 more in the library
Cites 14
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
and 9 more in the library