Hofmann, S.G., Sawyer, A.T., Witt, A.A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78, 169–183.
To provide a quantitative, meta-analytic review of the efficacy of mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) for improving anxiety and mood symptoms in clinical populations
MBT was moderately effective for improving anxiety (Hedges’s g = 0.63) and mood symptoms (Hedges’s g = 0.59) from pre- to post-treatment in the overall sample. Eight studies met criteria for elevated levels of depression symptoms at pretreatment; none of these involved patients with cancer.
The effects of MBT on depression and anxiety related to chronic conditions, such as cancer, might be smaller than expected, because patients may experience physical symptoms listed on depression or anxiety scales as a result of their physical condition or as a side effect of medical treatment.
MBT is a promising intervention in the treatment of anxiety and mood problems in patients with medical diagnoses, including cancer.