Cited by 120Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsDigital Mental Health InterventionsPsychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Brief Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention in a Non-clinical Population: Replication and Extension

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Cavanagh, Kate, Churchard, Alasdair, O’Hanlon, Puffin, Mundy, Thomas, Votolato, Phoebe, Jones, Fergal, Gu, Jenny, Strauss, Clara·2018·Mindfulness

Abstract

Building on previous research, this study compared the effects of two brief, online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs; with and without formal meditation practice) and a no intervention control group in a non-clinical sample. One hundred and fifty-five university staff and students were randomly allocated to a 2-week, self-guided, online MBI with or without mindfulness meditation practice, or a wait list control. Measures of mindfulness, perceived stress, perseverative thinking and anxiety/depression symptoms within were administered before and after the intervention period. Intention to treat analysis identified significant differences between groups on change over time for all measured outcomes. Participation in the MBIs was associated with significant improvements in all measured domains (all p s < 0.05), with effect sizes in the small to medium range (0.25 to 0.37, 95% CIs 0.11 to 0.56). No significant changes on these measures were found for the control group. Change in perseverative thinking was found to mediate the relationship between condition and improvement on perceived stress and anxiety/depression symptom outcomes. Contrary to our hypotheses, no differences between the intervention conditions were found. Limitations of the study included reliance on self-report data, a relatively high attrition rate and absence of a longer-term follow-up. This study provides evidence in support of the feasibility and effectiveness of brief, self-guided MBIs in a non-clinical population and suggests that reduced perseverative thinking may be a mechanism of change. Our findings provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of a mindfulness psychoeducation condition, without an invitation to formal mindfulness meditation practice. Further research is needed to confirm and better understand these results and to test the potential of such interventions.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s12671-017-0856-1

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  • Studies solely including patients with psoriasis showed positive effects of a MBI on skin-related parameters, such as severity of psoriasis and rate of skin clearing during phototherapy.

    “studies solely including patients with psoriasis showed positive effects of a MBI on skin-related parameters, such as the severity of psoriasis (18–20) and the rate of skin clearing during phototherapy (21).”

    From Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Introduction describes this study as an online mindfulness intervention in a university sample, measuring mindfulness, stress, perseverative thinking, and anxiety/depression. That is contrary to the attribution of this source as a study solely including patients with psoriasis; the reported outcomes are not psoriasis severity or skin clearing during phototherapy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Extensive mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to have positive effects in patients with psoriasis.

    “Extensive mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to have positive effects in patients with psoriasis.”

    From Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Introduction says mindfulness-based interventions can benefit physical health in clinical populations and describes intensive protocols. It does not report positive effects in patients with psoriasis; the study itself concerns a brief intervention in a non-clinical population (Introduction and Discussion; page numbers unavailable). (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Extensive mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to have positive effects in patients with psoriasis.

    “Extensive mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to have positive effects in patients with psoriasis.”

    From Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Introduction says mindfulness-based interventions may benefit physical health in clinical populations, but it does not identify patients with psoriasis. The Discussion discusses effects of more intensive interventions on anxiety and depression, not psoriasis. The paper's own trial tested a brief intervention in a non-clinical population. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Some studies in patients with psoriasis revealed positive effects of MBI on psychological outcome parameters (e.g. anxiety, depression or quality of life), while others did not.

    “Some studies also revealed positive effects on psychological outcome parameters (e.g. anxiety, depression or quality of life) (18, 19), while others did not (21, 22).”

    From Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Results > Anxiety and Depression section reports improved anxiety/depression scores after the mindfulness interventions, and the Introduction describes mixed findings in other brief online MBI studies. But this trial studied university staff and students, not patients with psoriasis; the Discussion > Limitations cautions against extrapolating its findings to clinical groups. It therefore does not establish the claimed pattern in psoriasis patients. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Some studies in patients with psoriasis revealed positive effects of MBI on psychological outcome parameters (e.g. anxiety, depression or quality of life), while others did not.

    “Some studies also revealed positive effects on psychological outcome parameters (e.g. anxiety, depression or quality of life) (18, 19), while others did not (21, 22).”

    From Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-based Intervention in Patients with Psoriasis: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2024) · cites this paper as [18]

    The Results (Anxiety and Depression; page not provided) report improved anxiety/depression symptoms after the mindfulness interventions. The Introduction also describes a different brief online MBI study that found no benefit on several psychological measures. But this paper studies a non-clinical university sample, not patients with psoriasis, and does not establish the claimed pattern of results in that population. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Cavanagh, K., Churchard, A., O’Hanlon, P., Mundy, T., Votolato, P., Jones, F., Gu, J., & Strauss, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Sussex (GB)
  • Canterbury Christ Church University (GB)
Corresponding author
Cavanagh, Kate
Venue
Mindfulness
Published
2018-01-16
Volume
9
Issue
4
Pages
1191-1205
ISSN
  • 1868-8527 (ISSN-L)
  • 1868-8535
OpenAlex
W2783009920
Cited by
120
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5
FWCI
13.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Mindfulness (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Create (Canterbury Christ Church University) (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (es/j500173/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
Keywords
mindfulness-based interventions, online intervention, self-guided intervention, mindfulness meditation, perseverative thinking, perceived stress, anxiety, depression, university students, university employees, non-clinical population, psychoeducation, mechanisms of change, replication

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