Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as an Adjunct to Outpatient Psychotherapy

Vol. 74, No. 2, 2005

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Regular Article

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as an Adjunct to Outpatient Psychotherapy
Myra Weiss^a, Johanna W. Nordlie^a, Eric P. Siegel^b

^aNew York, N.Y., and
^bDepartment of Psychology, St. Xavier University, Chicago, Ill., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Psychother Psychosom 2005;74:108-112 (DOI: 10.1159/000083169)

Key Words

Mindfulness meditation
Stress reduction
Psychotherapy adjunct
Self-directedness

Abstract

Background: Research on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has supported the utility of the technique in a number of clinical settings. This study explored whether MBSR, used as an adjunct to individual psychotherapy, would result in more rapid alleviation of symptoms, increased achievement of therapeutic goals, and a decrease in number of therapy sessions sought by clients. Methods: A group undergoing psychotherapy coupled with training in MBSR was compared with a group undergoing psychotherapy alone. Results: At the conclusion of MBSR training, the groups showed a comparable significant decrease in psychological distress. However, the MBSR group's gains on a novel measure of goal achievement were significantly greater than those of the comparison group. In addition, the MBSR group terminated therapy at a significantly greater rate than the comparison group. Conclusion: The effects of introducing MBSR early in psychotherapy, as well as its effect on self-directed goal attainment in non-psychotherapy contexts, deserve further attention.

Author Contacts

Dr. Myra Weiss
372 Central Park West, Suite 3L
New York, NY 10025 (USA)
Tel. +1 212 316 7855, Fax +1 212 316 3930
E-Mail MW6223@aol.com

Article Information

Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 30

Medline Abstract (ID 15741760)

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