We aimed to evaluate whether Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was feasible and acceptable for
young people, their parents and the clinicians working with them; whether a parallel course for parents was a useful
addition; and whether attendance at MBCT was associated with improved outcomes. The design was a mixed
methods ...
We aimed to evaluate whether Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) was feasible and acceptable for
young people, their parents and the clinicians working with them; whether a parallel course for parents was a useful
addition; and whether attendance at MBCT was associated with improved outcomes. The design was a mixed
methods service evaluation of an eight session MBCT programme for young people who were recovering from
depression. The course was a manualised eight session group intervention. Both young people (n=18) and parents
(n=21) completed validated measures before and after the course. Semi-structured interviews were completed with
some group participants and clinical staff working in the service. Care records were searched for additional contact
following the intervention. Qualitative data from young people, parents and clinicians suggested that MBCT was
acceptable and feasible, and provided strategies to cope. The parent course was reported to provide personal support
to parents and helped them cope with their child’s depression while also impacting the family, promoted shared
understanding of depression and strategies to combat it, and addressed intergenerational aspects of depression. 84%
of participants attended at least 6/8 sessions and 48% required no further intervention within the following year.
Young people had statistically significant improvements across all outcome measures, while parents had statistically
significant improvements in rumination, self-compassion and decentering.