Cited by 212Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsSuicide and Self-Harm StudiesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Effects of mindfulness on meta-awareness and specificity of describing prodromal symptoms in suicidal depression

Open access
Hargus, Emily, Crane, Catherine, Barnhofer, Thorsten, Williams, J. Mark G.·2010·Emotion

Abstract

The authors examined the effects of mindfulness training on 2 aspects of mode of processing in depressed participants: degree of meta-awareness and specificity of memory. Each of these has been suggested as a maladaptive aspect of a mode of processing linked to persistence and recurrence of symptoms. Twenty-seven depressed participants, all of whom had experienced suicidal crises, described warning signs for their last crisis. These descriptions were blind-rated independently for meta-awareness and specificity. Participants were then randomly allocated to receive mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone, and retested after 3 months. Results showed that, although comparable at baseline, patients randomized to MBCT displayed significant posttreatment differences in meta-awareness and specificity compared with TAU patients. These results suggest that mindfulness training may enable patients to reflect on memories of previous crises in a detailed and decentered way, allowing them to relate to such experiences in a way that is likely to be helpful in preventing future relapses.

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Crossref · 10.1037/a0016825

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  • Mindfulness training reduces overgeneral autobiographical memory.

    “Two studies (Hargus et al., 2010; Williams et al., 2000) have shown that mindfulness training reduces overgeneral autobiographical memory, a construct that has been associated with increased severity of depression and suicidality (Kuyken & Brewin, 1995).”

    From Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies (2011) · cites this paper as Hargus et al., 2010

    The Discussion says MBCT did not increase the specificity of participants’ descriptions of a past suicidal crisis. Specificity stayed the same in the MBCT group, while the comparison group’s descriptions became more overgeneral. The study therefore does not show that mindfulness training reduced overgeneral memory. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Changes in decentering mechanisms have been studied in negative thinking present in patients dealing with recurrent and chronic depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and OCD.

    “Changes in these mechanisms have been studied in negative thinking present in patients dealing with recurrent and chronic depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, and OCD (Barnhofer et al., 2015; Farb et al., 2018; Hargus et al., 2010; Omidi et al., 2013 ; Landmann et al., 2019; Michalak et al., 2015; Armstrong, 2016; Segal et al., 2019; Teasdale et al., 2000, Williams et al., 2014).”

    From Mapping mindfulness in psychotherapy: a scoping review on conceptualization, applications, and research directions (2026) · cites this paper as Hargus et al., 2010

    The Abstract describes a study of mindfulness-related changes in processing negative experiences among patients with chronic-recurrent depression and a prior suicidal crisis. The Discussion reports increased meta-awareness—the ability to decenter—after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The paper does not establish this finding for patients with anxiety or OCD. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Preliminary evidence suggests that mindfulness training leads to increases in metacognitive awareness.

    “Preliminary evidence suggests that mindfulness training leads to increases in metacognitive awareness (Hargus et al., 2010; Teasdale et al., 2002) and reductions in rumination (Jain et al., 2007; Ramel, Goldin, Carmona, & McQuaid, 2004), and that increased metacognitive awareness, or decentering, may in turn predict better clinical outcomes such as lower rates of depressive relapses (Fresco, Segal”

    From Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies (2011) · cites this paper as Hargus et al., 2010

  • Un-clinging may be viewed as a significant extension of 'decentering' and an even broader, more global and sustained shift in perspective, such that one experiences a continuous distancing between awareness and all perceptible physical and psychological experience.

    “Un-clinging may be viewed as a significant extension of 'decentering' (Teasdale et al. 2002; Hargus et al. 2010) and an even broader, more global and sustained shift in perspective, such that one experiences a continuous distancing between awareness and all perceptible physical and psychological experience.”

    From Awareness Versus Un-Clinging: Which Matters in Mindfulness? (2017) · cites this paper as Hargus et al. 2010

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Beck A. T., Steer R. A., & Brown G. K. (1996). Beck Depression Inventory manual (2nd ed.). San Antonio, TX: The Psychological Corporation

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Authors
Hargus, E., Crane, C., Barnhofer, T., & Williams, J. M. G.
Affiliations
Warneford Hospital (GB)
Corresponding author
Williams, J. Mark G.
Venue
Emotion
Published
2010-02
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
34-42
ISSN
  • 1528-3542 (ISSN-L)
  • 1931-1516
OpenAlex
W2123241032
Cited by
212
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 15
FWCI
18.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Emotion (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Mind & Life Institute
  • Wellcome Trust (GR 067797)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
mindfulness training, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, suicidal depression, meta-awareness, memory specificity, prodromal symptoms, relapse prevention, decentering
MeSH terms
Suicide Prevention, Adult, Awareness, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Middle Aged, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Recurrence, Severity of Illness Index, Suicide, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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