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Mindfulness

What are mindfulness and acceptance therapies?

Mindfulness and acceptance therapies involve intentional and non-judgmental focus of one’s attention on emotions, thoughts and sensations that are occurring in the present moment. The aim is to open awareness to present experiences, whether positive or negative, allowing thoughts and voices to come and go without reacting, and accepting oneself and the experience. This may help alleviate the distress associated with symptoms by focusing on how people relate and respond to their psychotic experiences, rather than identifying and directly challenging thoughts and beliefs about these experiences.

What is the evidence for mindfulness and acceptance therapies?

Moderate quality evidence suggests a small effect of improved general symptoms with mindfulness or acceptance therapies when compared to treatment as usual, but not when compared to active control conditions. There were small effects for positive symptoms and small to medium-sized effects for negative and depression symptoms, social functioning, mindful awareness, and acceptance.

September 2020

Last updated at: 4:08 am, 10th September 2020
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Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.