In this meta-analysis, effect size estimates suggested that mindfulness-based therapy was moderately effective for improving anxiety (Hedges’s g 0.63) and depressive symptoms (Hedges’s g 0.59) from pre- to posttreatment in the overall sample.1
In patients with anxiety disorders, this intervention was associated with an effect size (Hedges’s g) of 0.97 for improving anxiety symptoms, and an effect size of 0.95 for improving depressive symptoms.1
These results suggest that mindfulness-based therapy is a promising intervention for treating anxiety and mood disorders in clinical populations.1
CI=confidence interval; GAD=generalized anxiety disorder; SAD=social anxiety disorder
Related content
Suicidal ideation is far more common than attempts in people with anxiety or depression, especially with comorbid disorders and severe depression.
Anxiety disorders in Europe carry substantial costs, with PTSD and panic disorder leading, followed by social anxiety, GAD, and agoraphobia.