Pathways to mental well-being for graduates of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR): A mediation analysis of an RCT.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-'Taking it Further' (MBCT-TiF) improved mental well-being more than ongoing mindfulness practice alone in 164 graduates of mindfulness-based programs. This improvement occurred through increases in mindfulness, self-compassion, and decentering—each independently mediated the effect. For depression, all three mediators also played a role, but only mindfulness and decentering mediated effects on psychological quality of life and anxiety. The findings suggest that MBCT-TiF works by enhancing these three psychological skills, though future research should test them together and alongside other potential mediators like equanimity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

To explore mediated effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-"Taking it Further" (MBCT-TiF) on mental well-being through changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, and decentering. A secondary analysis of an RCT using simple mediation, with 164 graduates of MBCT and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), was implemented whereby MBCT-TiF (vs ongoing mindfulness practice; OMP) was the independent variable; changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, and decentering during the intervention were the mediators; and mental well-being at post-intervention, whilst controlling for baseline, was the dependent variable. Secondary outcomes included psychological quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Compared to OMP, MBCT-TiF experienced significant improvements in mental well-being through changes in all three mediators (mindfulness: ab = 0.11 [0.03, 0.25]; decentering: ab = 0.16 [0.05, 0.33]; self-compassion: ab = 0.07 [0.01, 0.18]). A similar pattern was demonstrated for depression, but only mindfulness and decentering mediated effects on psychological quality of life and anxiety. The findings provide preliminary support for all three mediators in driving change in mental well-being in a sample of MBCT/MBSR graduates. Future work must be theory-driven and powered to test all mediators in parallel and alongside other potential mediators (e.g., equanimity) to further understand independent contributions and interacting effects.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05154266.