Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychotherapy for Major Depression.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to synthesize evidence on the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and positive psychotherapy (PPT) in treating major depression.
Results Summary
The meta-analysis found that MBCT, ACT, and PPT showed small but favorable effects in reducing depression symptoms compared to control conditions, though the quality of evidence was low. MBCT and ACT may be superior to inactive or treatment-as-usual controls, while PPT may be comparable to active controls.
Population
Individuals with a current episode of major depression.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) | decrease | symptoms of depression | patients with major depression | Hedges' g=0.34 | showed efficacy in reducing | #1 |
acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) | decrease | symptoms of depression | patients with major depression | Hedges' g=0.34 | showed efficacy in reducing | #2 |
positive psychotherapy (PPT) | decrease | symptoms of depression | patients with major depression | Hedges' g=0.34 | showed efficacy in reducing | #3 |
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) | decrease | symptoms of major depression | - | - | may be superior to inactive or treatment-as-usual controls | #4 |
acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) | decrease | symptoms of major depression | - | - | may be superior to inactive or treatment-as-usual controls | #5 |
positive psychotherapy (PPT) | decrease | symptoms of major depression | - | - | may be comparable to active controls | #6 |
OBJECTIVE: In the past two decades, newer psychotherapy treatments have emerged for the treatment of major depression. This review aimed to comprehensively synthesize the evidence for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and positive psychotherapy (PPT) in treating a current episode of major depression. METHODS: A systematic search of the Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases was conducted for randomized controlled trials of MBCT, ACT, and PPT for major depression. Standardized mean differences were calculated with Hedges' g to complete random-effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed with the Cochran Q statistic and I RESULTS: A random-effects meta-analysis of 15 studies (MBCT, N=7; ACT, N=4; PPT, N=4) revealed that all three therapies showed efficacy in reducing symptoms of depression with a small favorable effect, compared with all control conditions (N=946; Hedges' g=0.34; 95% confidence interval=0.14, 0.54; p<0.001). Cochrane's Q statistic (Q=32, df=15, p=0.007) suggested significant heterogeneity (I CONCLUSIONS: Meta-analysis shows that MBCT and ACT may be superior to inactive or treatment-as-usual controls and that PPT may be comparable to active controls for reducing symptoms of major depression after an acute course of therapy. However, the quality of the evidence was low. High-quality studies are needed to confirm the efficacy of these interventions.