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

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 83 of the 83 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

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

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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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Figures

Fig. 1 Path diagram depicting the stage two mediational model, with changes in perseverative thinking style as the mediator
Fig. 1 Path diagram depicting the stage two mediational model, with changes in perseverative thinking style as the mediatorCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 2 CONSORT diagram outlining the process of service user flow through the study
Fig. 2 CONSORT diagram outlining the process of service user flow through the studyCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 3 Path diagram depicting model 1, testing whether improvements in perseverative thinking (PTQ Change) mediate the effects of mindfulness meditation versus psychoeducation (Contrast 1) or mindfulness meditation versus wait list control (Contrast 2) on improvements in perceived stress (PSS Change). Unstandardised path coefficients are displayed
Fig. 3 Path diagram depicting model 1, testing whether improvements in perseverative thinking (PTQ Change) mediate the effects of mindfulness meditation versus psychoeducation (Contrast 1) or mindfulness meditation versus wait list control (Contrast 2) on improvements in perceived stress (PSS Change). Unstandardised path coefficients are displayedCC BY · PubMed Central
Fig. 4 Path diagram depicting model 2, testing whether improvements in perseverative thinking (PTQ Change) mediate the effects of mindfulness meditation versus psychoeducation (Contrast 1) or mindfulness meditation versus wait list control (Contrast 2) on improvements in anxiety/depression symptom severity (PHQ4 Change). Unstandardised path coefficients are displayed
Fig. 4 Path diagram depicting model 2, testing whether improvements in perseverative thinking (PTQ Change) mediate the effects of mindfulness meditation versus psychoeducation (Contrast 1) or mindfulness meditation versus wait list control (Contrast 2) on improvements in anxiety/depression symptom severity (PHQ4 Change). Unstandardised path coefficients are displayedCC BY · PubMed Central

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  1. Muthén, B., & Muthén, L. (1998-2012). Mplus User’s Guide (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Muthén and Muthén.

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Metadata

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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