The Effect of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Cognitive Distortions: A Microtrial Exploring a Potential Mechanism for the Reduction of Depressive Symptoms
Open AccessDespite the greater need to treat and prevent depressive symptoms during the Covid-19 pandemic, little is known about how mindfulness interventions yield such results. This study used a microtrial design to explore whether a reduction in cognitive distortions could be the mechanism through which mindfulness produces improvements in depressive symptoms. The study also used a dismantling model to compare the effects of the physical practice and cognitive components of an online mindfulness intervention on cognitive distortions. It was hypothesized that the physical practice component, the cognitive component, and the interaction of the two would produce greater reductions in cognitive distortions than conditions without these components. The data did not support these hypotheses, but did establish that cognitive distortions can change after a short period of time. There was no evidence of differences in cognitive distortions based on the presence or absence of the physical practice component. Exploratory data analysis found that, from baseline to post-intervention, participants who received the physical practice component experienced a decrease in mindfulness, while those who did not experienced an increase in mindfulness. Taken together, these results can be explained by disproportionate lack of compliance with the physical practice component. Given the online administration, participants may have been less likely to engage with the physical practice component given that it involved more active participation and may have instead engaged in multi-tasking which reduced their present-moment awareness. Participants who received the cognitive component experienced greater increases in cognitive distortions from baseline to post-intervention as compared to those who did not receive the cognitive component. Exploratory data analysis found that participants who were higher in cognitive distortions pre-test who received the cognitive component showed greater increases in cognitive distortions from baseline to post-intervention as compared to those who did not receive the cognitive component. The focus on metacognition may have increased awareness of existing cognitive distortions or caused more cognitive distortions through self-recrimination after becoming aware of negative thought patterns. This may have been especially true among individuals with higher cognitive distortions at baseline. Participants who received both the physical practice and cognitive components showed smaller increases on self-esteem IAT scores from baseline to post-intervention, as compared to those in the cognitive condition and physical practice condition. These results could indicate detrimental effects from the extra cognitive instructions in the full intervention condition, amounting to an extended dose of the cognitive component. Future research should explore the effects of the cognitive component after multiple sessions. When individuals first engage in metacognition, a period of self-judgment may precede any long-term improvements.
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