THE EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPY ON ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION: A META-ANALYTIC REVIEW

Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT), including programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), has gained significant popularity in psychotherapy. Despite this, previous reviews have reached conflicting conclusions regarding its efficacy for treating anxiety and mood symptoms. This meta-analysis sought to clarify the situation by quantifying the treatment effect size across 39 clinical studies involving 1,140 participants with various psychiatric and medical conditions.

The researchers found that MBT is a promising intervention for clinical populations. Across the entire sample, MBT demonstrated moderate effectiveness in reducing anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.63) and mood symptoms (Hedges' g = 0.59) from pre- to post-treatment. Notably, the effect sizes were significantly larger for patients specifically diagnosed with anxiety disorders (g = 0.97) and mood disorders (g = 0.95). These improvements were robust, maintained over follow-up periods, and were not significantly influenced by publication year, the number of treatment sessions, or the quality of the study design.

This study provides quantitative evidence that MBT is more than just a general stress-reduction technique; it appears to be a viable clinical intervention for specific psychiatric disorders. The findings suggest that MBT may address fundamental emotional and evaluative processes that underlie various disorders, rather than being limited to a single diagnosis. By demonstrating that MBT produces effects stronger than those typically associated with psychological placebos, this review supports the integration of mindfulness practices into standard clinical care for anxiety and depression.