Evaluating Compassion–Mindfulness Therapy for Recurrent Anxiety and Depression: A Randomized Control Trial

Objective: To evaluate the effects of compassion–mindfulness therapy (C-MT), an adapted version of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy that integrates compassion training. Method: Individuals aged 17–69 with recurrent depressive and anxiety symptoms were recruited from a community mental health service unit. Half of the participants were randomized to an 8-week C-MT program (n = 41) and the other half to a wait-list control condition (n = 41). Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed significant improvements in all measures in the treatment group. The effect sizes for depression and anxiety were 1.11 and 1.10, respectively, and those for physical distress, daily functioning, positive affect, and negative affect ranged from 0.71 to 1.04. All improvements were sustained at the 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support for C-MT as a viable treatment option for individuals with recurrent depression and anxiety symptoms. Time-limited treatments such as C-MT should be promoted in social work practice.