Distress tolerance as a mediator of mindfulness-based intervention for anxiety and depression: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials.
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP January 1, 2024 Yanjuan Li, Mengyao He, Zhenzhen Wang et al. 18 citations
Across two randomized controlled trials, a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) improved mindfulness, distress tolerance, anxiety, and depression more than control conditions. In Study 1, 374 adults with moderate emotional distress were assigned to MBI or a waitlist; in Study 2, 170 adults with emotional disorders were assigned to MBI or a control group. Changes in distress tolerance explained the intervention's effects on anxiety and depression. Distress tolerance also preceded improvements in depression over time, but not in anxiety. Distress tolerance appears to be a mechanism through which MBIs reduce emotional distress, suggesting that boosting distress tolerance could strengthen these interventions.