Effects of mindfulness on meta-awareness and specificity of describing prodromal symptoms in suicidal depression.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether mindfulness training (MBCT) improves meta-awareness and memory specificity in depressed individuals with a history of suicidal crises.
Results Summary
MBCT significantly improved meta-awareness and memory specificity compared to treatment as usual (TAU), suggesting mindfulness helps patients reflect on past crises in a detailed and decentered way, potentially preventing relapse.
Population
27 depressed participants with a history of suicidal crises.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
3 months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual (TAU) | increase | meta-awareness | depressed participants who had experienced suicidal crises | - | displayed significant posttreatment differences | #1 |
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual (TAU) | increase | specificity of memory | depressed participants who had experienced suicidal crises | - | displayed significant posttreatment differences | #2 |
The authors examined the effects of mindfulness training on 2 aspects of mode of processing in depressed participants: degree of meta-awareness and specificity of memory. Each of these has been suggested as a maladaptive aspect of a mode of processing linked to persistence and recurrence of symptoms. Twenty-seven depressed participants, all of whom had experienced suicidal crises, described warning signs for their last crisis. These descriptions were blind-rated independently for meta-awareness and specificity. Participants were then randomly allocated to receive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone, and retested after 3 months. Results showed that, although comparable at baseline, patients randomized to MBCT displayed significant posttreatment differences in meta-awareness and specificity compared with TAU patients. These results suggest that mindfulness training may enable patients to reflect on memories of previous crises in a detailed and decentered way, allowing them to relate to such experiences in a way that is likely to be helpful in preventing future relapses.