This 2015 article in American Psychologist, by Sona Dimidjian and Zindel V. Segal, describes mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) as being at a pivotal point in their development. With more and more studies and a widening range of clinical uses, the authors say the value of MBIs may seem self-evident. They argue, though, that the public health impact of MBIs can be enhanced by placing this work within a broader framework of clinical psychological science.
Using the National Institutes of Health stage model, the authors map the evidence for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction as examples of MBIs. They suggest this view shows important gaps in the current evidence, and that producing more of the same types of studies without addressing those gaps will limit the relevance and reach of these interventions. They close with seven recommendations that promote an integrated approach to core research questions, better methodological quality in individual studies, and clearer links among the stages of clinical translation.
This is a review and a set of recommendations for researchers, not a trial of any one program.
Source: Dimidjian, S., & Segal, Z. V. (2015). Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist, 70(7), 593–620. doi.org/10.1037/a0039589
