Practitioner-supported cognitive behavioral therapy self-help (CBT-SH) is one of the most commonly used treatment strategies for managing depression . However, the drop-out rates are high. To explore the alternative approaches to manage depression, researchers in England compared practitioner-supported mindfulness-based cognitive therapy self-help (MBCT-SH) and CBT-SH in 410 patients with mild to moderate depression for 16 weeks. Copies of MBCT-SH or CBT-SH workbooks were given to the participants, and the severity of the depression symptoms was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at the end of 16 weeks.
The MBCT-SH group experienced a significant reduction in symptoms of depression (PHQ-9 score – 7.2 vs. 8.6). The probable cost-effectiveness of MBCT-SH was above 95% compared to the CBT-SH. Hence, MBCT-SH can be a useful strategy for treating patients with mild to…
