Examining Factors that Influence Acceptability of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Experimental and Correlational Approaches
Claire Whiting, Jesus A. Arroyo, Erik C Nook
October 9, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/fyxeq_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-registered experiments Preregistered |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,010 |
| Population | Adults recruited for two online experiments (Study 1 N = 305; Study 2 N = 705) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Scientific versus religious framing of MBCT did not change acceptability (Study 1). Greater existential quest significantly and greater religiosity marginally predicted higher acceptability regardless of framing. In Study 2, addressing participants' concerns—tailored or covering all possible concerns—reduced concerns and increased acceptability relative to no intervention, and religiosity remained positively associated with acceptability. |
Abstract
Objectives. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are widely used treatments that aim to increase clients' awareness and acceptance of their present-moment experiences. Although delivered as secular treatments, their practices have roots in East and South Asian religious traditions, raising concerns about acceptance among diverse religious or atheistic clients. Other MBI features, such as meditation and group-based formats, may also pose barriers to participation. We report two pre-registered experiments examining factors influencing acceptability of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Methods. Study 1 (N = 305) tested whether scientific versus religious framings of MBCT influenced treatment acceptability, and whether effects were moderated by religiosity, existential quest (tendency toward exploratory engagement with existential questions), and scriptural literalism. Study 2 (N = 705) examined whether addressing participants' concerns about MBCT increased acceptability. Results. Contrary to hypotheses, Study 1 found no effects of scientific or religious framing on acceptability. However, regardless of framing, MBCT acceptability was higher among participants with greater existential quest (significantly) and greater religiosity (marginally). In Study 2, addressing participants' concerns (whether tailored to their specific concerns or covering all possible concerns) reduced concerns about MBCT and increased acceptability relative to no intervention. Similar to Study 1, religiosity was positively associated with acceptability regardless of condition. Conclusions. Together, these findings suggest that religiosity and existential quest may shape receptivity to MBCT, and that addressing client concerns, rather than adjusting how treatment is framed, may offer a promising route to increasing acceptability. Understanding these individual differences can inform strategies for engaging diverse populations in MBIs.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |