Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38665227›Full record

ArticleMindfulness2021

Metta-Based Therapy for Chronic Depression: a Wait List Control Trial.

Ulrich Stangier, Artjom Frick, Isabel Thinnes, Elisabeth A Arens, Stefan G Hofmann

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Mindfulness, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.7field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ulrich StangierClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Artjom FrickClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Isabel ThinnesClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Elisabeth A ArensClinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Varrentrappstr. 40-42, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Stefan G HofmannDepartment of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, USA.
Goethe University Frankfurt · DE

Funding

Connectomes Related to Anxiety and Depression in AdolescentsU01MH108168 · NIMH · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · PI GABRIELI, JOHN, WHITFIELD-GABRIELI, SUSAN · 2015 to 2019
$4.6M
Toward Outcome Measurement of Anxiety in Youth with Autism Spectrum DisordersR01MH099021 · NIMH · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI SCAHILL, LAWRENCE D. · 2012 to 2015
$2.7M
1/2-Yoga For Generalized Anxiety DisorderR01AT007257 · NCCIH · BOSTON UNIVERSITY (CHARLES RIVER CAMPUS) · PI HOFMANN, STEFAN G. · 2013 to 2017
$2.0M
NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT007257NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH099021NIMH NIH HHS U01 MH108168
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Current treatments for chronic depression have focused on reducing interpersonal problems and negative affect, but paid little attention to promoting prosocial motivation and positive affect. Following this treatment focus, the objective of the present study was to examine whether the combination of metta (Loving Kindness) group meditation and subsequent tailored individual therapy focusing on kindness towards oneself and others (metta-based therapy, MBT) shows greater improvements in depressive symptoms than a wait list control group in patients with chronic depression. Methods: Forty-eight patients with DSM-5 persistent depressive disorder were randomly assigned to MBT or a wait list control condition. Outcome was assessed after group meditation, after subsequent individual therapy, and at 6-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was an independent blind rating of depressive symptoms at post-test. Secondary outcome included changes in self-reported depression, behavioral activation, rumination, social functioning, mindfulness, compassion, and clinician-rated emotion regulation. Results: Mixed-design analyses showed significant differences between MBT and WLC in changes from pre- to post-test in clinician-rated and self-rated depression, behavioral activation, rumination, social functioning, mindfulness, and emotion regulation. Most of the changes occurred during group meditation and were associated with large effect sizes. Improvements were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support for the effectiveness of MBT in treating chronic depression. Trial Registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN97264476.

Indexed as

Chronic depressionCognitive behavioral therapyLoving kindnessMettaMindfulness meditationPersistent depressive disorder

Identifiers

PMID38665227
PMCPMC11044848
OpenAlexW3205661706

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.