An eight-week age-modified mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program, led either by a mindfulness teacher alone or co-led with a social worker, reduced depressive symptoms and stress and increased mindful non-reactivity in older adults at risk for depression, compared to usual care. Among 112 older adults recruited from community centers in Hong Kong, those in either MBCT group showed significantly greater improvements post-intervention and four weeks later. Anxiety and overall mindfulness did not differ between groups. The teacher-led and social-worker/teacher co-led groups produced equivalent benefits, supporting partial task-shifting of MBCT delivery to trained social workers to improve accessibility.
Depression in older adulthood is a public health concern. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive therapy can reduce depressive symptoms but require substantial time commitments. This protocol describes a randomized controlled trial testing a briefer, peer-supported mindfulness intervention. Community-dwelling adults over 60 with mild to moderately severe depressive symptoms will receive either a social worker-led six-session mindfulness intervention or the same intervention with peer supporters. A total of 138 participants will be recruited. Depressive symptoms, measured by the PHQ-9, will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and three months later. Data from a prior study will be matched as a comparison group. Results will suggest whether this scalable approach improves accessibility and mental health outcomes.