Continuation Sessions of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT-C) vs. Treatment as Usual in Late-Life Depression and Anxiety: An Open-Label Extension Study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether continuation sessions of MBCT (MBCT-C) could prevent symptom recurrence in late-life depression (LLD) and anxiety (LLA).
Results Summary
The study found no significant differences in depressive or anxiety symptom severities between groups receiving MBCT-C and those who did not, though a small clinical effect of MBCT-C on anxiety symptoms was observed. The results suggest MBCT-C may be somewhat beneficial for LLA but not for LLD.
Population
Older adults with late-life depression and/or anxiety.
Effective Dosage
Weekly 1-hour MBCT-C sessions for 26 weeks (following an initial 8-week MBCT intervention).
Duration
34 weeks total (8-week MBCT + 26-week MBCT-C).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) | decrease | symptoms of late-life depression (LLD) and anxiety (LLA) | patients | - | improves | #1 |
continuation sessions of MBCT (MBCT-C) | decrease | LLD/LLA symptom recurrence | patients | - | can prevent | #2 |
MBCT-C | no change | depressive or anxiety symptom severities | patients | Cohen's d = 0.045 | no significant differences | #3 |
MBCT-C | decrease | symptoms of anxiety | patients | d = 0.29 | observed a small clinical effect | #4 |
MBCT-C | decrease | symptoms of LLA | older adults with depression and/or anxiety | - | may be somewhat beneficial | #5 |
MBCT-C | no change | LLD | older adults with depression and/or anxiety | - | not beneficial | #6 |
OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a novel treatment for depression. Our published randomized controlled trial shows that MBCT improves symptoms of late-life depression (LLD) and anxiety (LLA). We now examine whether continuation sessions of MBCT (MBCT-C) can prevent LLD/LLA symptom recurrence. METHODS/DESIGN: Following an 8-week MBCT intervention, we compared patients who attended open-label weekly 1-hour MBCT-C for another 26 weeks (n = 10) vs those who did not (n = 17) for change in depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: While there were no significant differences between groups on depressive or anxiety symptom severities between 8- and 34- weeks (Cohen's d = 0.045), we observed a small clinical effect of MBCT-C on symptoms of anxiety (d = 0.29). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that MBCT-C may be somewhat beneficial for symptoms of LLA, but not for LLD. Healthcare providers should consider what is clinically feasible before investing time and resources into MBCT-C in older adults with depression and/or anxiety.