Mindfulness-Based Intervention and Mental Health Disorders
Suantak Demkhosei Vaiphei, Fariza Saidin, Tahera Hoque Mozumdar
Routledge eBooks October 28, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781042021499-13 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Argues that mindfulness-based interventions reduce anxiety and depression symptom severity in diverse treatment-seeking individuals, reliably outperform non-evidence-based therapies and active controls such as health education, relaxation techniques, and supportive therapy, and are comparable to cognitive-behavioural therapy. The review also examines which specific disorders show the highest MBI effectiveness and possible sources of bias. |
Abstract
In the last 20 years, there has been a significant rise in both scientific and general interest in mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). The main theoretical basis of MBIs is that engaging in mindfulness practices (such as sitting meditation, yoga, or other mindfulness activities) will help individuals become less reactive to negative internal experiences while fostering greater reflection, ultimately resulting in beneficial psychological effects. This chapter examines how the integration of mindfulness practices has enhanced cognitive and behavioural therapies for depression and anxiety. The last ten years have seen a significant rise in research focused on MBIs. The most prevalent are mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. MBIs have shown effectiveness in lowering the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms in a wide variety of individuals seeking treatment. MBIs reliably surpass non-evidence-based therapies and active control measures like health education, relaxation techniques, and supportive therapy. MBIs are also comparable to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The treatment principles of MBIs for anxiety and depression align with those of conventional CBT. Although various extensive meta-analyses have indicated that mindfulness-based interventions may influence clinical results, multiple meta-analyses have explored the findings for particular psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. This current analytical study aimed to investigate the following: (1) how mindfulness-based interventions measure against various control conditions, including established efficacious treatments (i.e. evidence-based therapies); (2) which specific disorders show the highest effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, and (3) possible sources of bias.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |