Mindfulness Research

Addiction has generally been characterized as a chronic relapsing condition. Studies have provided evidence that craving and negative affect are strong predictors of the relapse process. A recently developed behavioral treatment, Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP), designed to target experiences of craving and negative affect integrates cognitive behavioral relapse prevention with mindfulness meditation. In a recent RCT those treated with MBRP demonstrated significantly lower rates of substance use and greater decreases in craving following treatment. Areas of the brain that have been associated with craving, negative affect, and relapse have also been shown to be affected by mindfulness training.[1]

[1] Witkiewitz K, Lustyk M, & Bowen S, 2012/ Re-Training the Addicted Brain: A review of hypothsized neurobiolgical meechanisms of mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Psychol Addict Behav. 27(2) p 351-365. Published online 2012 Jul 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0029258

A recent systematic review of mindfulness literature found that changes in mindfulness and compassion combined, correlated with changes in stress, moderate effects on anxiety, depression, distress, and quality of life.[3]  Research has shown that self compassion is a significant variable in mental health and resilience.[1] Two components of mindfulness — non-judging and non-reacting — were strongly correlated with self-compassion, as were two dimensions of empathy — taking on others’ perspectives (i.e., perspective taking) and reacting to others’ affective experiences with discomfort.[2]

[1] MacBeth A, A Gumley, 2012. Exploring compassion: A meta-analysis of the association between self-compassion and psychopathology. Clinical Psychological Review. 32: 545- 552.

[2] Shapiro, S, K Brown, G Biegel. Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training.Training and Education in Professional Psychology, Vol 1(2), May 2007, 105-115. https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F1931-3918.1.2.105

[3] Khoury, B et al., 2015. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 78(6): 519–528

Pain is a subjective experience that cannot be refuted or denied. Chronic pain is a major health condition that has significant impact on both finances and quality of life.  While alleviating or changing the perception of pain is not an objective of mindfulness practice, scientific studies indicate that mindfulness practice may improve a practitioner’s pain tolerance ratings and how they perceive pain intensity.[1] [2]

[1] Reiner K, Tibi L, Lipsitz J, 2013. Do mindfulness-based interventions reduce pain intensity? A critical review of the literature. Pain Med. Feb;14(2):230-42. doi: 10.1111/pme.12006. Epub 2012 Dec 13.

[2] Parth Rajguru et at., 2014. Use of Mindfulness Meditation in the Management of Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine February 21.

[3] Cherkin D et al, 2016. Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Usual Care on Back Pain and Functional Limitations in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain:  A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016;315(12):1240-1249.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.2323

[4] Zeidan F et al., 2012. Mindfulness meditation-related pain relief: Evidence for unique brain mechanisms in the regulation of pain. Neurosci Lett. 2012 Jun 29; 520(2): 165–173. Published online 2012 Apr 6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2012.03.082

Mindfulness based therapies (MBT) are as effective in treating anxiety, depression, and stress in comparison with other psychological or pharmacological treatments. These benefits have been shown to be maintained at follow-up[3] [4] Meditation programs in general and mindfulness programs in particular have been shown to reduce the multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress. [5] [6] One study showed that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is as effective as cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for generalized social anxiety disorder, though their effects may be a result of both shared and unique changes in underlying psychological processes.[7]

[3] Khoury B et al, 2013. Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev.  Aug;33(6):763-71. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005. Epub 2013 Jun 7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23796855

[4] Hoffman S, Sawyer A, Witt A, Oh D, 2010. The effect of Mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 78(2), pp 169-183.

[5] Goyal et al, 2014. Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-Being. Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 124

[6] Sharma, M, Rush S, 2014. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine , 19:4, 271-286

[7] Goldin, P, et al., 2016. Group CBT versus MBSR for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol. 84(5):427-437. Epub 2016 Mar 7.

[8] Piet, J, Wurtzen, H and Zachariae, R, 2012. The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 80(6), Dec 2012, 1007-1020. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0028329

[9] Zainal N, Booth S & Huppert F, 2013. The efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health of breast cancer patients: a meta-analysis. Psycho-Oncology, Volume 22, Issue 7, pages 1457–1465, July 2013

[10] H. Cramer, R. Lauche, A. Paul, G. Dobos, 2012. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for breast cancer— a systematic review and meta-analysis. Current Oncology, Vol 19, No. 5, 2012

[11] P Klainin-Yobas , Ma Aye A, Cho, D, 2012. Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions on depressive symptoms among people with mental disorders: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, Volume 49, Issue 1, 109–121.

[12] Kuyken et al, 2015. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy compared with maintenance antidepressant treatment in the prevention of depressive relapse or recurrence (PREVENT): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, Volume 386, No. 9988, p63–73, 4 July 2015. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62222-4

[13] Piet J & Hougaard E, 2011. The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for prevention of relapse in recurrent major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev.  Aug;31(6):1032-40. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.05.002. Epub 2011 May 15

[14] Segal Z. V., Williams J. M. G., & Teasdale J. D., 2002. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. New York: Guilford.

[15] Williams J. M. G., Teasdale J. D., Segal Z. V., & Kabat-Zinn J., 2007. The mindful way through depression: Freeing yourself from chronic unhappiness. New York: Guilford.

[16] Strauss C et al., 2014.Mindfulness-Based Interventions for People Diagnosed with a Current Episode of an Anxiety or Depressive Disorder: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Article in PLoS ONE 9(4):e96110 · April 2014 Impact Factor: 3.23 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0096110 · Source: PubMed

[17] Van der Velden AM et al., 2015. A systematic review of mechanisms of change in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in the treatment of recurrent major depressive disorder. Clin Psychol Rev. Apr;37:26-39. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2015.02.001. Epub 2015 Feb 11