Who experiences depressive symptoms following mindfulness-based stress reduction and why?
Patricia Lynn Dobkin, Qinyi Zhao, Kaveh Monshat
International Journal of Whole Person Care January 27, 2017 DOI: 10.26443/ijwpc.v4i1.123 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 126 |
| Population | Patients with various medical and psychological conditions |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Depression screening rates fell from 49% to 27% after MBSR. Patients who remained depressed scored lower on sense of coherence, used more emotional coping and less palliative and distraction coping, and improved less on stress. Low pre-program meaningfulness predicted more post-program depressive symptoms; the authors conclude these patients could not reappraise their lives to become stress resilient. |
Abstract
Background: A small percentage of patients screen positive for depression following a mindfulness-based program. We identified patient characteristics associated with this outcome in order to understand this phenomenon.Methods: Depressive symptoms, stress, mindfulness, coping with illness and sense of coherence were measured in 126 patients with various medical and psychological conditions pre- and post- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR).
Results: Fewer patients (27% vs. 49%) screened positive for depression post-MBSR. Both pre- and post-MBSR patients who were depressive following MBSR scored lower on meaningfulness, comprehensibility, and manageability (sense of coherence), higher on emotional coping and lower on palliative and distraction coping. Smaller positive changes (e.g. stress) occurred in these patients as well. Viewing life as less meaningful pre-MBSR predicted more symptoms of depression post-MBSR.Conclusions: Patients who suffered depressive symptoms following the program were unable to reappraise their lives in such a way as to become stress resilient.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Self-regulation of attentional stance facilitates induction of meditative states Electronic Imaging January 16, 2023
- Individual differences in meditation interventions: A meta‐analytic study British Journal of Health Psychology February 27, 2022
- A Pilot Study of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Programme in Patients Suffering from Atopic Dermatitis Psych December 23, 2021
- Mental Illness through the Lens of Mindfulness The Oxford Handbook of Meditation December 15, 2020
- Stay Present with Your Phone: A Systematic Review and Standardized Rating of Mindfulness Apps in European App Stores. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine November 20, 2020
and 1 more in the library
Cites 24
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
and 19 more in the library