Examining Cognitive Mechanisms of Clinical Improvement Following Mindfulness Based Therapy for Depressed Individuals

Mass General Brigham

Status

Completed

Conditions

Depression

Treatments

Behavioral: Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT02457936

K23AT010653-01A1 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

2014P002481

Details and patient eligibility

About

Depression one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Individuals suffering from depression typically exhibit impairments in various mental abilities, such as the ability to effectively direct and control attention and the ability to switch between thinking about different things and concepts (commonly referred to as "cognitive flexibility").

Mindfulness meditation training is a technique which involves focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. It has been well documented to improve depressive symptoms and prevent recurrence of depressive episodes, yet little is known about how mindfulness does so and what are the underlying mental mechanisms involved. Here the investigators propose to examine the efficacy of an 8-week mindfulness training program in improving the ability to direct and control attention, as well as in cognitive flexibility.

Individuals diagnosed with recurrent depression will undergo an 8-week mindfulness training program. Participants' depressive symptoms as well as their performance on measures of attention and cognitive flexibility will be examined. Participants will be assigned to mindfulness training or a wait-list control group. Half of the participants will be examined before and after the mindfulness training program and the other half will be tested 8-weeks apart and then begin their training.

Enrollment

52 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Reporting dysphoria for at least two months prior
HAM-D score of at least 11
No history of psychiatric disorders of psychotic features, neurological disorders, or substance abuse in the past 6 months
Verified age between 18-65 years old
Had no suicidal attempts during the past six months
No prior experience with MBCT or other systematic meditation programs

Exclusion criteria

History of psychosis, neurological disorder, and substance abuse for the past 6 months
Suicide attempt in past 6 months
Prior experience with MBCT or other systematic meditation program