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Koirala, Manorama (2025) A meta-analytic perspective on the impact of MBI’s (mindfulness based interventions) in depression treatment. In: 22nd London Met Learning and Teaching Conference, 24-25 June 2025, London Metropolitan University.
Depression, affecting over 280 million people globally, is a leading cause of disability and suicide, with more than 700,000 deaths annually. Certain groups, including older adults and postpartum women are at elevated risk, with depression prevalence estimated at 13–20% among new mothers and up to 25% among older adults. These disparities highlight the urgent and effective need for accessible, sustainable, and culturally sensitive interventions.
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), have emerged as promising, non-pharmacological approaches, in alleviating depressive symptoms and preventing relapse by promoting emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility.
First developed by Teasdale et al. (2000), MBCT integrates cognitive therapy with mindfulness training to prevent depressive relapse by enhancing metacognitive awareness and emotional regulation.
Building on randomized controlled trials, neuroimaging studies, and meta-analyses, the presentation demonstrates that MBIs offer moderate but meaningful improvements in emotional regulation, reduced rumination, and relapse prevention, particularly in individuals with three or more depressive episodes. Neuroimaging findings (e.g., Hölzel et al., 2011) link mindfulness practice to increased grey matter in brain regions associated with emotion regulation and self-awareness. Comparative trials further suggest MBCT is as effective as maintenance antidepressants, offering a viable non-pharmacological treatment pathway.
MBIs also show promise for vulnerable populations. MBSR has been found to significantly reduce depressive symptoms in older adults, and MBCT-PD has reduced relapse risk in postpartum women while being well-accepted by participants. Despite these encouraging findings, the field faces notable limitations: short follow-up durations, sample homogeneity, underrepresentation of minority groups, and inconsistencies in intervention delivery.
Critics further question the theoretical and ethical dilution of mindfulness in Western clinical settings. This presentation argues for a reinvigorated research agenda prioritizing rigorous methodologies, diverse populations, and culturally grounded practices. While not a universal remedy, MBIs represent a hopeful, patient-centred complement to traditional therapies in the ongoing fight against depression: one that demands continued, targeted inquiry amid an escalating global mental health crisis.
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