Mindfulness, Group therapy and Psychosis; Training Decreases Anxiety and Depression in Outpatients with a Psychotic Disorder in a Non-Randomized Within Group Comparison

Abstract

The objective of this non-randomized, within-group comparison was to evaluate the addition of mindfulness as a new technique in an outpatient group therapy program with participants diagnosed with a psychotic spectrum disorder, alongside of cognitive behavioral therapy. Additional objectives were to replicate concepts from earlier works, to evaluate scores on depression and anxiety scales related to distressing psychosis, and to determine if participants’ responses were a mindfulness-based response or an experiential-avoidance response. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale, at admission and discharge. The first experiment compared matched scores of those who received mindfulness training plus standard psychiatric treatment (treatment as usual: TAU) against those who received TAU. The second experiment compared age using matched scores from participants who received mindfulness training plus TAU. Participants attended group therapy for a five-week minimum, and were taught the mindfulness practices of breath, acceptance, observation, remaining non-judgmental, and letting go. The first experiment showed a significant pretest to posttest decrease in anxiety and depression scores in those who received mindfulness training and TAU. A Tukey-Kramer test indicated a statistically significant finding for the GAD-7. Secondary data indicated improvement in skills and the importance of the mindfulness training. The TAU only group showed a significant reduction in depression but not anxiety. In the second experiment, both the older and younger groups showed a significant pretest to posttest decrease in anxiety and depression. The findings have implications for mindfulness training as an effective method for decreasing anxiety and depression in psychosis.