Background: Mindfulness techniques have been shown to be effective for managing anxiety and stress and reducing residual symptoms of depression in patients with bipolar disorder. Trait mindfulness has been found to increase following mindfulness-based therapies, with low mindfulness scores predicting depression relapse at 3-month follow up.
Method: A randomised-controlled trial was conducted comparing Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) (n=19) to treatment as usual (TAU) (n=12) for participants with bipolar disorder. Mindfulness was assessed at baseline, post-group and at 3 months, with measures of depression, mania, stress and anxiety.
Results: Mindfulness scores significantly increased from baseline to 3-month follow up (F(2,28)=15.9, p<.001) and there was a significant difference found between the two treatment conditions (F (2,28)=6.0, p<.05). Results of a regression analysis indicated that higher scores on post-group mindfulness were associated with lower scores on the 3-month state (β=-.8, t(17)=-4.2, p<.01), trait (β=-.79, t(17)=-3.7, p<.01) anxiety and stress (β=-.5, t(17)=-2.6, p<.05) measures for the MBCT condition. For the TAU condition higher scores on post-group mindfulness were associated with lower scores on 3-month trait anxiety (β=-.7, t(10)=-3.0, p<.05). Mindfulness was not associated with lower scores on the depression measures, however mindfulness predicted lower 3-month mania scores for the MBCT condition (β=-.2, t(12)=-3.0, p<.05).
Conclusion: This study is ongoing. Mindfulness appeared to increase at 3-month follow-up for the MBCT condition and was associated with lower scores on state anxiety, stress and mania. The exploration of mindfulness may be warranted when assessing treatment efficacy.