The effectiveness of online group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for outpatients with depression in China.
Jinjun Liu, Wei Duan, Zeping Xiao, Yanru Wu
Journal of affective disorders April 15, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.223
Summary
Online group Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) shows promising effectiveness for treating depression, with 85% of 75 participating outpatients attending more than four sessions. After ten weeks, significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms were observed, with Hamilton Depression Scale scores decreasing by over 30%. Notably, both medicated and unmedicated patients benefited from the treatment. While changes in self-acceptance and mindfulness awareness were not significant, high adherence rates highlight the potential of online platforms in delivering effective mental health support to those struggling with depression.
Abstract
With the development of online technology and the increase in real-world needs, conducting psychotherapy on online platforms has become a popular trend. The present study followed the schedule and content of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and only changed the treatment format (from offline to online) to investigate the effectiveness of online group MBCT for Chinese outpatients with depression. The study used before-and-after controlled design, and included 88 depressed outpatients, of which 75 formally underwent a 10-week online group MBCT. The 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Self-Depression Rating Scale (SDS), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and Self-Acceptance Questionnaire (SAQ) were administered to patients one week prior to treatment, the fifth week of treatment, and the tenth week of treatment. Repeated-measures data were processed using linear mixed-effects models. 75 patients (85.23 %) attended >4 sessions, 44 of whom were taking psychotropic medication during treatment. HAMD-24 and HAMA scores decreased significantly in both medicated and unmedicated patients (w10 50 %) was >30 %, but there were no significant changes in patients' SDS, MAAS, or SAQ scores. This study supports the effectiveness of online group MBCT for outpatients with depression and the adherence of depressed patients to participate in online group MBCT was high.