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The effect of mindfulness group therapy on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms : A randomised controlled trial in primary health care

Sundquist, J. LU ; Palmér, K. LU ; Johansson, L. M. LU and Sundquist, K. LU (2017) In European Psychiatry 43. p.19-27
Abstract

Background The need for psychotherapy in primary health care is on the increase but individual-based treatment is costly. The main aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to compare the effect of mindfulness-based group therapy (MGT) with treatment as usual (TAU), mainly individual-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms in primary care patients diagnosed with depressive, anxiety and/or stress and adjustment disorders. An additional aim was to compare the effect of MGT with TAU on mindful attention awareness. Methods This 8-week RCT took place in 2012 at 16 primary care centres in southern Sweden. The study population included both men and women, aged 20–64 years (n = 215). A broad... (More)

Background The need for psychotherapy in primary health care is on the increase but individual-based treatment is costly. The main aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to compare the effect of mindfulness-based group therapy (MGT) with treatment as usual (TAU), mainly individual-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms in primary care patients diagnosed with depressive, anxiety and/or stress and adjustment disorders. An additional aim was to compare the effect of MGT with TAU on mindful attention awareness. Methods This 8-week RCT took place in 2012 at 16 primary care centres in southern Sweden. The study population included both men and women, aged 20–64 years (n = 215). A broad range of psychiatric symptoms were evaluated at baseline and at the 8-week follow-up using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Mindful attention awareness was also evaluated using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Results In both groups, the scores decreased significantly for all subscales and indexes in SCL-90, while the MAAS scores increased significantly. There were no significant differences in the change in psychiatric symptoms between the two groups. The mindfulness group had a somewhat larger change in scores than the control group on the MAAS (P = 0.06, non-significant). Conclusions No significant differences between MGT and TAU, mainly individual-based CBT, were found in treatment effect. Both types of therapies could be used in primary care patients with depressive, anxiety and/or stress and adjustment disorders, where MGT has a potential to save limited resources. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01476371.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Affective disorders, Anxiety disorders, Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), Other psychotherapy
in
European Psychiatry
volume
43
pages
19 - 27
publisher
Elsevier Masson SAS
external identifiers
  • scopus:85016427991
  • pmid:28365464
  • wos:000406391700004
ISSN
0924-9338
DOI
10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.328
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24eb211a-c7b4-42e0-adec-536f653a0ec6
date added to LUP
2017-04-18 16:15:25
date last changed
2024-05-26 13:51:48
@article{24eb211a-c7b4-42e0-adec-536f653a0ec6,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background The need for psychotherapy in primary health care is on the increase but individual-based treatment is costly. The main aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to compare the effect of mindfulness-based group therapy (MGT) with treatment as usual (TAU), mainly individual-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms in primary care patients diagnosed with depressive, anxiety and/or stress and adjustment disorders. An additional aim was to compare the effect of MGT with TAU on mindful attention awareness. Methods This 8-week RCT took place in 2012 at 16 primary care centres in southern Sweden. The study population included both men and women, aged 20–64 years (n = 215). A broad range of psychiatric symptoms were evaluated at baseline and at the 8-week follow-up using the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Mindful attention awareness was also evaluated using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Results In both groups, the scores decreased significantly for all subscales and indexes in SCL-90, while the MAAS scores increased significantly. There were no significant differences in the change in psychiatric symptoms between the two groups. The mindfulness group had a somewhat larger change in scores than the control group on the MAAS (P = 0.06, non-significant). Conclusions No significant differences between MGT and TAU, mainly individual-based CBT, were found in treatment effect. Both types of therapies could be used in primary care patients with depressive, anxiety and/or stress and adjustment disorders, where MGT has a potential to save limited resources. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01476371.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sundquist, J. and Palmér, K. and Johansson, L. M. and Sundquist, K.}},
  issn         = {{0924-9338}},
  keywords     = {{Affective disorders; Anxiety disorders; Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT); Other psychotherapy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  pages        = {{19--27}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier Masson SAS}},
  series       = {{European Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{The effect of mindfulness group therapy on a broad range of psychiatric symptoms : A randomised controlled trial in primary health care}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/31349506/24136399.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.328}},
  volume       = {{43}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}