Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Prevents Depression Relapse: Individual Patient Meta-Analysis

Does mindfulness therapy prevent depression relapse?

Yes. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) significantly reduces the risk of depressive relapse and is as effective as antidepressants for preventing relapse in recurrent depression. An individual patient data meta-analysis of 9 trials with 1,258 participants shows that MBCT reduces relapse risk by approximately 31% compared to usual care and performs comparably to maintenance antidepressant medication.

MBCT works by combining mindfulness meditation with cognitive therapy techniques, teaching people to recognize early warning signs of depression and respond skillfully to negative thought patterns that can trigger relapse, rather than getting caught in depressive spirals.

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A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Major Depressive Disorder in Undergraduate Students: Dose-Response Effect, Inflammatory Markers and BDNF

Introduction

This randomized controlled trial examined the dose-response effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for college students with major depressive disorder (MDD), investigating both clinical outcomes and biological markers including inflammatory cytokines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

Study Design and Participants

This was a 2-month double-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) with registration number ChiCTR2100044309. The study recruited 60 undergraduate students with first episode and untreated MDD meeting DSM-5 diagnostic criteria from universities in Kunming, Yunnan, China.

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