Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol

Introduction Depressive, anxiety and adjustment disorders are highly prevalent among mental health outpatients. The lack of funding for mental health problems produces inefficient results and a high burden of disease. New cost-effective group interventions aimed at treating these symptoms might be a...

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Main Authors: Jesus Montero-Marin, Carlos Collado-Navarro, Mayte Navarro-Gil, Alba Lopez-Montoyo, Marcelo Demarzo, Paola Herrera-Mercadal, Alberto Barcelo-Soler, Javier Garcia-Campayo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-10-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029909.full
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author Jesus Montero-Marin
Carlos Collado-Navarro
Mayte Navarro-Gil
Alba Lopez-Montoyo
Marcelo Demarzo
Paola Herrera-Mercadal
Alberto Barcelo-Soler
Javier Garcia-Campayo
author_facet Jesus Montero-Marin
Carlos Collado-Navarro
Mayte Navarro-Gil
Alba Lopez-Montoyo
Marcelo Demarzo
Paola Herrera-Mercadal
Alberto Barcelo-Soler
Javier Garcia-Campayo
author_sort Jesus Montero-Marin
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Depressive, anxiety and adjustment disorders are highly prevalent among mental health outpatients. The lack of funding for mental health problems produces inefficient results and a high burden of disease. New cost-effective group interventions aimed at treating these symptoms might be an appropriate solution to reduce the healthcare burden in mental health units. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown significant reductions in anxious, depressive and adjustment symptomatology. Recent research highlights the influence of compassion as a key mechanism of change. However, MBIs only address compassion implicitly, whereas compassion-based protocols consider it a core aspect of psychotherapy. In this randomised controlled trial, we hypothesise that the provision of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT), which is a compassion-based protocol, will be more effective than mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), which is a conventional MBI programme, for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adaptive symptoms in patients in mental health settings.Methods and analysis Approximately 90 patients suffering from depressive, anxious or adjustment disorders recruited from Spanish mental health settings will be randomised to receive 8 weekly 2 hours group sessions of ABCT, 8 weekly 2.5 hours group sessions of adapted MBSR (with no full-day silent retreat) or treatment as usual (TAU), with a 1:1:1 allocation rate. Patients in the ABCT and adapted MBSR groups will also receive TAU. The main outcome will be general affective distress measured by means of the ‘Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21’ at post-test as primary endpoint. Other outcomes will be quality of life, mindfulness, self-compassion and the use of healthcare services. There will be a 6-month follow-up assessment. Intention-to-treat analysis will be conducted using linear mixed models. Per-protocol and secondary outcome analyses will be performed. A data monitoring committee comprising the trial manager, the ABCT and MBSR teachers and an independent clinical psychologist will monitor for possible negative side effects.Ethics and dissemination Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the General University Hospital of Castellón, Spain. The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed specialised journals, and brief reports will be sent to participants on request.Trial registration number NCT03425487
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spelling doaj-art-8b76b17f9b0c4d9dabab836eed2249e42024-12-13T16:40:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-10-0191010.1136/bmjopen-2019-029909Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocolJesus Montero-Marin0Carlos Collado-Navarro1Mayte Navarro-Gil2Alba Lopez-Montoyo3Marcelo Demarzo4Paola Herrera-Mercadal5Alberto Barcelo-Soler6Javier Garcia-Campayo75 Teaching, Research & Innovation Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, SpainLa Plana University Hospital, Castellón, Spain1 Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Zaragoza, SpainPrimary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Zaragoza, SpainDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Mente Aberta – Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil1 Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Zaragoza, Spain1 Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Zaragoza, Spain1 Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (RedIAPP), Zaragoza, SpainIntroduction Depressive, anxiety and adjustment disorders are highly prevalent among mental health outpatients. The lack of funding for mental health problems produces inefficient results and a high burden of disease. New cost-effective group interventions aimed at treating these symptoms might be an appropriate solution to reduce the healthcare burden in mental health units. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown significant reductions in anxious, depressive and adjustment symptomatology. Recent research highlights the influence of compassion as a key mechanism of change. However, MBIs only address compassion implicitly, whereas compassion-based protocols consider it a core aspect of psychotherapy. In this randomised controlled trial, we hypothesise that the provision of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT), which is a compassion-based protocol, will be more effective than mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), which is a conventional MBI programme, for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adaptive symptoms in patients in mental health settings.Methods and analysis Approximately 90 patients suffering from depressive, anxious or adjustment disorders recruited from Spanish mental health settings will be randomised to receive 8 weekly 2 hours group sessions of ABCT, 8 weekly 2.5 hours group sessions of adapted MBSR (with no full-day silent retreat) or treatment as usual (TAU), with a 1:1:1 allocation rate. Patients in the ABCT and adapted MBSR groups will also receive TAU. The main outcome will be general affective distress measured by means of the ‘Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21’ at post-test as primary endpoint. Other outcomes will be quality of life, mindfulness, self-compassion and the use of healthcare services. There will be a 6-month follow-up assessment. Intention-to-treat analysis will be conducted using linear mixed models. Per-protocol and secondary outcome analyses will be performed. A data monitoring committee comprising the trial manager, the ABCT and MBSR teachers and an independent clinical psychologist will monitor for possible negative side effects.Ethics and dissemination Approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the General University Hospital of Castellón, Spain. The results will be submitted to peer-reviewed specialised journals, and brief reports will be sent to participants on request.Trial registration number NCT03425487https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029909.full
spellingShingle Jesus Montero-Marin
Carlos Collado-Navarro
Mayte Navarro-Gil
Alba Lopez-Montoyo
Marcelo Demarzo
Paola Herrera-Mercadal
Alberto Barcelo-Soler
Javier Garcia-Campayo
Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
BMJ Open
title Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
title_full Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
title_fullStr Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
title_full_unstemmed Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
title_short Attachment-based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive, anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings: a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
title_sort attachment based compassion therapy and adapted mindfulness based stress reduction for the treatment of depressive anxious and adjustment disorders in mental health settings a randomised controlled clinical trial protocol
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e029909.full
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