Objective:Although mindfulness-based therapy has become a popular treatment, little is known about its efficacy. Therefore, our objective was to conduct an effect size analysis of this popular intervention for anxiety and mood symptoms in clinical samples.Method:We conducted a literature search using PubMed, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and manual searches. Our meta-analysis was based on 39 studies totaling 1,140 participants receiving mindfulness-based therapy for a range of conditions, including cancer, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and other psychiatric or medical conditions. Results:Effect size estimates suggest that mindfulness-based therapy was moderately effective for improving anxiety (Hedges’sg!0.63) and mood symptoms (Hedges’sg!0.59) from pre- to posttreatment in the overall sample. In patients with anxiety and mood disorders, this intervention was associated with effect sizes (Hedges’sg) of 0.97 and 0.95 for improving anxiety and mood symptoms, respectively. These effect sizes were robust, were unrelated to publication year or number of treatment sessions, and were maintained over follow-up.Conclusions:These results suggest that mindfulnessbased therapy is a promising intervention for treating anxiety and mood problems in clinical populations.

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The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Therapy on Anxiety and Depression: A Meta-Analytic Review

http://depts.washington.edu/uwcssc/sites/default/files//hw00/d40/uwcssc/sites/default/files/Acceptance%20and%20Action%20Questionnaire%20(AAQ-II)_0.pdf

Preliminary psychometric properties of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II: a revised measure of psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance.

Interest in mindfulness and its enhancement has burgeoned in recent years. In this article, we discuss in detail the nature of mindfulness and its relation to other, established theories of attention and awareness in day-to-day life. We then examine theory and evidence for the role of mindfulness in curtailing negative functioning and enhancing positive outcomes in several important life domains, including mental health, physical health, behavioral regulation, and interpersonal relationships. The processes through which mindfulness is theorized to have its beneficial effects are then discussed, along with proposed directions for theoretical development and empirical research.

http://www.gruberpeplab.com/teaching/psych231_fall2013/documents/231_Brown2007.pdf

Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects

Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies

https://www.psychologytoday.com/files/attachments/3382/kashdan-rottenberg-2010-psychological-flexibility-cpr.pdf

Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health.

https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=psych_facpub

Stephen C. Hayes

Papers

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes