Mindfulness-based group therapy for in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders - Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a rater-blinded randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) for in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD).
Results Summary
MBGT showed significant improvements in mindfulness and negative symptoms, with medium-to-large effects on various clinical and process dimensions, while no serious adverse effects were reported. The treatment-as-usual group showed only small-to-moderate changes in positive symptoms and social functioning.
Population
In-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
4 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | feasibility and acceptability | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | appears feasible and acceptable | #1 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | protocol adherence | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | 95.2% | high protocol adherence | #2 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | retention rate | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | 95% | high retention rate | #3 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | mindfulness measured with the Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire (SMQ) | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | significant improvements | #4 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | decrease | negative symptoms | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | significant improvements | #5 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | mindfulness | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #6 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | decrease | positive symptoms | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #7 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | decrease | negative symptoms | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #8 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | decrease | depressive symptoms | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #9 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | psychological flexibility | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #10 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | quality of life | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #11 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | increase | social functioning | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects | #12 |
treatment-as-usual (TAU) | decrease | positive symptoms | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | small-to-moderate changes | #13 |
treatment-as-usual (TAU) | increase | social functioning | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | small-to-moderate changes | #14 |
mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) | no change | adverse effects | in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) | - | no serious adverse effects | #15 |
BACKGROUND: A Growing body of literature indicates therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness for mental disorders. Only few trials have been conducted with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD), mostly in outpatient settings. Primary objective was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) for in-patients with SSD. METHODS: A pre-registered randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess feasibility and acceptability of the MBGT. The primary outcome was mindfulness measured with the Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire (SMQ). Secondary outcomes were rater-blinded positive- and negative symptoms, depression, social functioning, and self-reported mindfulness, depression, anxiety, psychological flexibility, quality of life, and medication regime at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (Clinical Trails NCT03671005). RESULTS: 40 participants received either treatment-as-usual (TAU; n=19) or (MBGT+TAU; n = 21) for four weeks. At post-intervention, protocol adherence was 95.2%, and retention rate was 95%. ANCOVA revealed significant improvements in the MBGT+TAU for the primary outcome SMQ as well as negative symptoms at post-intervention between groups. In exploratory analyses, secondary outcomes showed medium-to-large pre-to-post-intervention effects on mindfulness, positive-, negative-, and depressive symptoms, psychological flexibility, quality of life, and social functioning for MBGT+TAU and small-to-moderate changes on positive symptoms and social functioning for TAU. No serious adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: MBGT appears feasible and acceptable for in-patient settings, with high protocol adherence and retention rates. Preliminary findings highlight a proof of concept of MBGT and various improvements in clinical- and process dimensions. A fully powered trial is warranted to determine efficacy, cost-efficiency, and longitudinal changes based on these promising outcomes.