A randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and a group version of cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy for chronically depressed patients.
Johannes Michalak, Martin Schultze, Thomas Heidenreich, Elisabeth Schramm
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology October 2015 DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000042 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 106 |
| Population | Patients with a current DSM-IV major depressive episode and persistent depressive symptoms for more than 2 years |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) Cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) treatment as usual |
| Duration | 8-week group therapy (8 sessions), outcome assessed at end of treatment |
| Measures | Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (24-item HAM-D), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | CBASP plus treatment as usual significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared with treatment as usual alone in the overall sample and at both treatment sites, whereas MBCT plus treatment as usual was no more effective than treatment as usual overall and at one site, though superior at the other. Both treatments showed only small to medium effects on social functioning and quality of life. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has recently been proposed as a treatment option for chronic depression. The cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) is the only approach specifically developed to date for the treatment of chronically depressed patients. The efficacy of MBCT plus treatment-as-usual (TAU), and CBASP (group version) plus TAU, was compared to TAU alone in a prospective, bicenter, randomized controlled trial. One hundred and six patients with a current DSM-IV defined major depressive episode and persistent depressive symptoms for more than 2 years were randomized to TAU only (N = 35), or to TAU with additional 8-week group therapy of either 8 sessions of MBCT (n = 36) or CBASP (n = 35). The primary outcome measure was the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (24-item HAM-D, Hamilton, 1967) at the end of treatment. Secondary outcome measures were the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck, Steer, & Brown, 1996) and measures of social functioning and quality of life. In the overall sample as well as at 1 treatment site, MBCT was no more effective than TAU in reducing depressive symptoms, although it was significantly superior to TAU at the other treatment site. CBASP was significantly more effective than TAU in reducing depressive symptoms in the overall sample and at both treatment sites. Both treatments had only small to medium effects on social functioning and quality of life. Further studies should inquire whether the superiority of CBASP in this trial might be explained by the more active, problem-solving, and interpersonal focus of CBASP.
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 14
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
- Metta-Based Therapy for Chronic Depression: a Wait List Control Trial Mindfulness October 8, 2021
- Comparison of cognitive behavioral therapy and third-wave-mindfulness-based therapies for patients suffering from depression measured using the Beck-Depression-Inventory (BDI): A systematic literature review and network-meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders June 15, 2025
- Mechanisms of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in difficult-to-treat depression: moderation and mediation analyses from the RESPOND trial. Psychological Medicine July 13, 2026
- Acceptability, Practicality and Preliminary Indications of Efficacy of a Blended Individual Mindfulness Intervention for Patients with Persistent Depression Mindfulness July 1, 2025
and 9 more in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Metacognitive awareness and prevention of relapse in depression: Empirical evidence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2002
- The mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy adherence scale: inter‐rater reliability, adherence to protocol and treatment distinctiveness Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy March 1, 2002
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for preventing relapse in recurrent depression: A randomized dismantling trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology December 3, 2013
and 6 more in the library