Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Effectiveness and Limitations

History of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Is Associated with Increased Cognitive Reappraisal Ability

“…The fact that MBCT does not focus on changing the content of cognitions, per se, but instead focuses on broader metacognitive changes by encouraging people to practice acceptance and to focus fully on the present moment, suggests that MBCT may lay the foundation for improvements in CRA by changing the way people relate to their thoughts and feelings (Hick and Chan 2010). In addition, MBCT may lead to cognitive improvements such as increased cognitive flexibility and broadened attention—processes that may serve as crucial antecedents for successful reappraisal.…”

How Do the Features of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Contribute to Positive Therapeutic Change? A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies

“…MBCT has been found to contribute positively to relapse prevention for people with a past history of more than two episodes of depression (Coelho, Canter and Ernst, 2007; Hick and Chan, 2010; Teasdale et al, 2000) and is recommended within the NICE Guidelines for Depression (NICE, 2009). There is also increasing evidence to support the usefulness of MBCT (and other mindfulness-based interventions) with various clinical populations (Baer, 2003).…”

Exploring the relationship of decentering to health related concepts and cognitive and metacognitive processes in a student sample

“…These researchers argue that awareness instead of attention, respectively a shift in attitude towards an open and accepting stance (according to one central component of mindfulness by Bishop et al ( 2004 )) represents the central aspect of mindfulness. As decentering is viewed as a central key mechanism facilitating a mindful state (Feldman et al 2010 ; Gecht et al 2014a ; Hick and Chan 2010 ; Ong et al 2012 ; Ortner et al 2007 ; Segal et al 2002 ; Semple and Burke 2011 ; Shapiro et al 2006 ; Tanay et al 2012 ), it is assumable that these findings are attributable to decentering. Overall, it appears that in the present investigation the assumed effects of decentering might mainly be driven by an aware state of mind and an accepting stance towards inner mental events of the self rather than the ability to shift and allocate attention.…”

“…This form of flexible information processing is assumed to result in health-related outcomes (Pagnini and Philips 2015 ). Decentering, as is the concept focussed on in the present study, is known as one central mechanism of change in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) (Feldman et al 2010 ; Gecht et al 2014a ; Hick and Chan 2010 ; Ong et al 2012 ; Ortner et al 2007 ; Segal et al 2002 ; Semple and Burke 2011 ; Shapiro et al 2006 ; Tanay et al 2012 ) and has been predominantly investigated in clinical samples. MBCT is one prominent therapy approach within the third wave of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT; Hayes 2004 ).…”

“…Additionally, several studies demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for the reduction of symptoms in diverse physical and mental health problems in clinical as well as non-clinical samples (for reviews see Grossman et al 2004 ; Keng et al 2011 ). It has been found that patients’ decentering ability can be enhanced through CBT and MBCT (Bieling et al 2012 ; Carmody et al 2009 ; Fresco et al 2007b ; Fresco et al 2011 ; Hick and Chan 2010 ; Segal et al 2002 ; Teasdale et al 2002 ). Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that depressive patients have a lower decentering ability than healthy control subjects (Teasdale et al 2002 ), and that decentering is negatively associated with depressive patients’ relapse rate after therapy (Fresco et al 2007b ; Teasdale et al 2002 ).…”