Citation

Hargus E, Crane C, Barnhofer T, Williams JMG. Emotion 2010; 10(1): 34-42.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0016825

PMID

20141300

PMCID

PMC3933215

Abstract

The authors examined the effects of mindfulness training on 2 aspects of mode of processing in depressed participants: degree of meta-awareness and specificity of memory. Each of these has been suggested as a maladaptive aspect of a mode of processing linked to persistence and recurrence of symptoms. Twenty-seven depressed participants, all of whom had experienced suicidal crises, described warning signs for their last crisis. These descriptions were blind-rated independently for meta-awareness and specificity. Participants were then randomly allocated to receive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone, and retested after 3 months.

RESULTS showed that, although comparable at baseline, patients randomized to MBCT displayed significant posttreatment differences in meta-awareness and specificity compared with TAU patients. These results suggest that mindfulness training may enable patients to reflect on memories of previous crises in a detailed and decentered way, allowing them to relate to such experiences in a way that is likely to be helpful in preventing future relapses.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Adult; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Awareness; Severity of Illness Index; Depression; Suicide; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Suicide Prevention; Recurrence; Depressive Disorder; Memory; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy