Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

Last edited 07/2022 and last reviewed 08/2022

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

• teaches psychological skills that target cognitive mechanisms implicated in depressive relapse to people with a history of depression by combining systematic mindfulness training with elements from cognitive therapy
• NHS defines MBCT as:
  • Mindfulness-based therapies help you focus on your thoughts and feelings as they happen, moment by moment.
  • MBCT is used to help prevent depression coming back, and to help some types of anxiety and stress.
  • MBCT combines mindfulness techniques like meditation and breathing exercises with cognitive therapy, which is about learning how to manage your thoughts and how they make you feel
  • Read more about mindfulness.

MBCT and depression:

• a systematic review and meta-analysis of 6 randomized clinical trials (N=593 patients) suggested that MBCT was associated with a significant reduction in the rates of depressive relapse compared with usual care or placebo, corresponding to a 34% relative risk reduction (risk ratio [RR], 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53-0.82) (1)
  • in a pre-planned subgroup analysis the relative risk reduction was 43% for participants with three or more previous episodes, while no risk reduction was found for participants with only two episodes
• study authors concluded:
  • results of this meta-analysis indicate that MBCT is an effective intervention for relapse prevention in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD) in remission, at least in case of three or more previous MDD episodes
• a further meta-analysis concluded (2)
  • mindfulness-based cognitive therapy appears efficacious as a treatment for relapse prevention for those with recurrent depression, particularly those with more pronounced residual symptoms

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

• a systematic review concluded that MBCT was effective for treating GAD

Reference:

• Piet J, Hougaard E. The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011 Aug;31(6):1032-40.
• Kuyken W, Warren FC, Taylor RS, et al. Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse: An Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis From Randomized Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(6):565-574. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0076
• Ghahari S, Mohammadi-Hasel K, Malakouti SK, Roshanpajouh M. Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Generalised Anxiety Disorder: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry : Official Journal of the Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists = Dong Ya Jing Shen ke xue zhi: Xianggang Jing Shen ke yi xue Yuan qi kan. 2020 Jun;30(2):52-56.