Mindfulness

Research summary

• The clearest and most rigorously tested application of structured mindfulness programs is relapse prevention in recovered depression: an individual-patient-data meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry, later corroborated by a network meta-analysis, found mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduces depressive relapse about as effectively as maintenance antidepressants.
• Mindfulness-based interventions also show meta-analytic support for reducing suicidal ideation in depression, and head-to-head trials suggest mindfulness-based therapy performs comparably to standard CBT for depression.
• Evidence extends to other populations too, including university students and adults with ADHD, with generally consistent, moderate benefits, though biological-marker research in this area remains more preliminary.
• Overall, mindfulness-based programs have strong, replicated evidence specifically for depression relapse prevention, with moderate evidence for broader mental-health applications.