The efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as a public mental health intervention for adults with mild to moderate depressive symptomatology: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Although there has been a growing evidence for the efficacy of mindfulness- based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for different clinical populations, its effectiveness as a public mental health intervention has not been studied. The present study evaluates a community-based MBCT intervention for adults with mild to moderate depressive symptomatology in a large multi-site, pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Participants with mild to moderate depressive symptomatology were recruited from the general population and randomized to the MBCT intervention (n = 76) or to a waiting list control group (n = 75). Participants completed measures before and after the intervention to assess depression, anxiety, positive mental health, experiential avoidance, and mindfulness. Participants in the experimental conditions also completed these measures at a 3-month follow-up.