Lifelong Learning: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychotherapy for Major Depression-View Article

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In a study on mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and positive psychotherapy (PPT) for major depression, a meta-analysis was performed on 15 studies to evaluate their efficacy in treating current episodes of major depression. The study found that MBCT and ACT showed efficacy in reducing symptoms of depression compared to control conditions, with PPT being comparable to active controls. However, the quality of evidence was deemed low, highlighting the need for high-quality studies to confirm the effectiveness of these interventions. <br /><br />MBCT focuses on developing mindfulness to prevent relapse, while ACT promotes psychological flexibility by addressing metacognitive processes. PPT, based on positive psychology principles, emphasizes building positive emotions and personal strengths to combat depression. These therapies aim to promote psychological flexibility and improve depressive symptoms by changing perspectives around negative thoughts.<br /><br />The study found significant heterogeneity across the therapy modalities, with variations in outcomes when compared to different types of control conditions. Subgroup analysis revealed that MBCT, ACT, and PPT combined were superior to treatment-as-usual controls, but not to active therapy controls, indicating the need for more comparative research. <br /><br />Overall, the study suggests that MBCT and ACT may be promising treatments for major depression, while PPT shows potential as well. However, more high-quality studies are required to ascertain the true efficacy of these interventions in treating major depressive episodes.

Keywords

mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

acceptance and commitment therapy

positive psychotherapy

major depression

meta-analysis

efficacy

symptoms of depression

psychological flexibility

positive psychology

therapy modalities