Cited by 187Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsTreatment of Major DepressionAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

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Eisendrath, Stuart J., Gillung, Erin, Delucchi, Kevin L., Segal, Zindel V., Nelson, J. Craig, McInnes, L. Alison, Mathalon, Daniel H., Feldman, Mitchell D.·2016·Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

Abstract

Background: Due to the clinical challenges of treatment-resistant depression (TRD), we evaluated the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) relative to a structurally equivalent active comparison condition as adjuncts to treatment-as-usual (TAU) pharmacotherapy in TRD. Methods: This single-site, randomized controlled trial compared 8-week courses of MBCT and the Health Enhancement Program (HEP), comprising physical fitness, music therapy and nutritional education, as adjuncts to TAU pharmacotherapy for outpatient adults with TRD. The primary outcome was change in depression severity, measured by percent reduction in the total score on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D 17), with secondary depression indicators of treatment response and remission. Results: We enrolled 173 adults; mean length of a current depressive episode was 6.8 years (SD = 8.9). At the end of 8 weeks of treatment, a multivariate analysis showed that relative to the HEP condition, the MBCT condition was associated with a significantly greater mean percent reduction in the HAM-D 17 (36.6 vs. 25.3%; p = 0.01) and a significantly higher rate of treatment responders (30.3 vs. 15.3%; p = 0.03). Although numerically superior for MBCT than for HEP, the rates of remission did not significantly differ between treatments (22.4 vs. 13.9%; p = 0.15). In these models, state anxiety, perceived stress and the presence of personality disorder had adverse effects on outcomes. Conclusions: MBCT significantly decreased depression severity and improved treatment response rates at 8 weeks but not remission rates. MBCT appears to be a viable adjunct in the management of TRD.

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  • Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy elements and has been shown to prevent depression relapse and improve anxiety symptoms.

    “Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a newer MBI that combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy elements and has been shown to prevent depression relapse and improve anxiety symptoms (Eisendrath et al., 2016; Evans et al., 2008; Kuyken et al., 2015; Segal et al., 2013; Tickell et al., 2020).”

    From Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for People with Parkinson’s Disease and Their Caregivers: a Pilot Study (2022) · cites this paper as Eisendrath et al., 2016

    The Methods (Study Treatment Interventions; page unavailable) describe MBCT as using meditation and cognitive-behavioral exercises. The Introduction (page unavailable) reports evidence that MBCT prevents depressive relapse in patients who had achieved remission. The Results discuss anxiety as a predictor of poorer depression-treatment response, not as a symptom shown to improve with MBCT. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Childhood trauma predicts poorer outcomes in MBCT treatment for active depression yet better outcomes when MBCT is used as a relapse prevention program in remitted individuals who are not currently depressed.

    “Such findings indicate that childhood trauma predicts poorer outcomes in MBCT treatment for active depression [13, 14] yet better outcomes when MBCT is used as a relapse prevention program in remitted individuals who are not currently depressed [11, 12].”

    From Childhood trauma and subclinical PTSD symptoms predict adverse effects and worse outcomes across two mindfulness-based programs for active depression (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

    The Results report that higher childhood emotional-abuse scores were associated with poorer response and remission in this active-depression trial. However, emotional abuse was the only childhood-trauma subscale with a significant association, and it did not predict outcomes differently for MBCT versus the control treatment. The relapse-prevention clause is attributed to other citations, not this paper. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In a randomized controlled trial, MBCT was significantly more efficacious than treatment-as-usual in reducing depression severity in treatment-resistant depression, but not in the number of cases who remitted.

    “MBCT was significantly more efficacious than TAU in reducing depression severity, but not the number of cases who remitted.”

    From The pursuit of euthymia (2020) · cites this paper as [92]

    The Results report a significantly greater reduction in depression severity with MBCT and no statistically significant difference in remission rates. But the Abstract Methods and Introduction identify the comparator as the Health-Enhancement Program (HEP), with treatment-as-usual pharmacotherapy given in both arms—not TAU alone. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.91)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • In that trial, MBCT and control groups did not differ significantly in depression remission rates.

    “Despite these promising findings, the MBCT and control groups did not differ significantly on rates of depression remission, suggesting that the effects of MBCT were not strong enough to impact full disorder remission.”

    From Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression (2017) · cites this paper as [55]

  • In a trial of modified MBCT for treatment-resistant depression, MBCT reduced posttreatment depressive symptoms compared with an active control (Health Enhancement Program).

    “In one of these trials, Eisendrath and colleagues55 tested the efficacy of a modified MBCT program for individuals with current treatment-resistant depression. Results showed that MBCT reduced depressive symptoms posttreatment compared to a well-matched active control program (Health Enhancement Program, or HEP).”

    From Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Anxiety and Depression (2017) · cites this paper as [55]

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Cites

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1 of the 82 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [7]Janicak PG Dowd SM Treatment-resistant depression: An update on diagnosis and management Psychopharm Review 2009 44 41 43
  2. [24]Barnhofer T Crane C Hargus E Amarasinghe M Winder R Williams JM The effects of mindulness meditation on cognitive processes and affect in patients with past depression Behav Res Ther 2009 47 366 373 19249017 PMC2866254
  3. [49]Spielberger C Gorush RR Luchene RE State-trait anxiety inventory Palo Alto Consulting Psychologists Press 1970

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Authors
Eisendrath, S. J., Gillung, E., Delucchi, K. L., Segal, Z. V., Nelson, J. C., McInnes, L. A., Mathalon, D. H., & Feldman, M. D.
Affiliations
University of California, San Francisco (US)
Venue
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2016
Volume
85
Issue
2
Pages
99-110
ISSN
  • 0033-3190 (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-0348
OpenAlex
W2252873284
Cited by
187
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 5
FWCI
27.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01at004572-04)
  • National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (R01AT004572.)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, treatment-resistant depression, adjunctive psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, music therapy, nutrition education, physical fitness, depression severity, treatment response, remission, state anxiety, perceived stress, personality disorders
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Depressive Disorder, Major, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Young Adult, Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant, Mindfulness

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