Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant depression: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is effective for chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients when added to treatment-as-usual (TAU).
Results Summary
MBCT + TAU did not significantly reduce depressive symptoms compared to TAU alone, but it showed higher remission rates and improvements in rumination, quality of life, mindfulness skills, and self-compassion. Patients who completed MBCT experienced significant reductions in depressive symptoms.
Population
Chronically depressed outpatients with treatment-resistant depression who had previously received pharmacotherapy (≥4 weeks) and psychological treatment (≥10 sessions).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | no change | depressive symptoms | chronically depressed outpatients who previously received pharmacotherapy (≥4 weeks) and psychological treatment (≥10 sessions) | -3.23 [-6.99 to 0.54], d = 0.35, P = 0.09 | did not have significantly fewer | #1 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | increase | remission rates | chronically depressed outpatients who previously received pharmacotherapy (≥4 weeks) and psychological treatment (≥10 sessions) | - | significantly higher | #2 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | decrease | rumination | chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients | - | beneficial effects | #3 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | increase | quality of life | chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients | - | beneficial effects | #4 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | increase | mindfulness skills | chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients | - | beneficial effects | #5 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) + treatment-as-usual (TAU) | increase | self-compassion | chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients | - | beneficial effects | #6 |
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) | decrease | depressive symptoms | patients who completed MBCT | - | significant reductions | #7 |
BACKGROUND: Chronic and treatment-resistant depressions pose serious problems in mental health care. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an effective treatment for remitted and currently depressed patients. It is, however, unknown whether MBCT is effective for chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients. METHOD: A pragmatic, multicenter, randomized-controlled trial was conducted comparing treatment-as-usual (TAU) with MBCT + TAU in 106 chronically depressed outpatients who previously received pharmacotherapy (≥4 weeks) and psychological treatment (≥10 sessions). RESULTS: Based on the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, participants in the MBCT + TAU condition did not have significantly fewer depressive symptoms than those in the TAU condition (-3.23 [-6.99 to 0.54], d = 0.35, P = 0.09) at posttreatment. However, compared to TAU, the MBCT + TAU group reported significantly higher remission rates (χ CONCLUSION: Although the ITT analysis did not reveal a significant reduction in depressive symptoms of MBCT + TAU over TAU, MBCT + TAU seems to have beneficial effects for chronic, treatment-resistant depressed patients in terms of remission rates, rumination, quality of life, mindfulness skills, and self-compassion. Additionally, patients who completed MBCT showed significant reductions in depressive symptoms. Reasons for non-completion should be further investigated.