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Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are currently well established in psychotherapy with meta-analyses demonstrating their efficacy. In these multifaceted interventions, the concrete performance of mindfulness exercises is typically integrated in a larger therapeutic framework. Thus, it is unclear whether stand-alone mindfulness exercises (SAMs) without such a framework are beneficial, as well. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the effects of SAMs on symptoms of anxiety and depression. Systematic searching of electronic databases resulted in 18 eligible studies (n = 1150) for meta-analyses. After exclusion of one outlier SAMs had small to medium effects on anxiety (SMD = 0.39; CI: 0.22, 0.56; PI: 0.07, 0.70; p < .001, I 2  = 18.90%) and on depression (SMD = 0.41; CI: 0.19, 0.64; PI: -0.05, 0.88; p < .001; I 2  = 33.43%), when compared with controls. Summary effect estimates decreased, but remained significant when corrected for potential publication bias. This is the first meta-analysis to show that the mere, regular performance of mindfulness exercises is beneficial, even without being integrated in larger therapeutic frameworks., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Existing literature has demonstrated that both motivation to change and mindfulness are associated with therapy outcomes in samples with mental disorders. Between the constructs of mindfulness and motivation to change occurs some theoretical‐related and empirical overlap. However, it is still little known about the association of these two constructs. For this reason, we investigated the relationship of motivation to change and mindfulness in a sample of 116 adult outpatients with a primary diagnosis of depression or anxiety. Methods: An outpatient sample of 116 depressive and/or anxious patients filled in the German short version of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA‐S) and the German version of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) before the start of cognitive‐behavioral therapy (pre) and after the 25th cognitive‐behavioral therapy session (post). To assess the association between change motivation and mindfulness, we calculated correlations, hierarchical regressions and cross‐lagged panel models (CLPM). Results: Several positive and negative significant correlations at the premeasurement time point, at the postmeasurement time point, and over time (from pre to postmeasurement time point) demonstrated a relation between the KIMS and the URICA‐S. Hierarchical regression analyses and CLPM pointed towards relations between mindfulness and change motivation over time and in both directions for some subscales of the KIMS and the URICA‐S. Conclusion: A bidirectional relation between motivation to change and mindfulness was supported in our naturalistic psychotherapy setting for several subscales. For a better understanding of the interconnection between the two constructs, future research should focus on the application of interventions to improve either mindfulness or motivation to change in psychotherapy. Additionally, the interactional effects of mindfulness and change motivation on therapy outcomes should be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: There is scarce research on the effects of mindfulness in individual therapy. As many practitioners integrate mindfulness exercises into individual therapy, empirical evidence is of high clinical relevance. Method: We investigated the effects of a session‐introducing intervention with mindfulness elements (SIIME) in a randomized, controlled design. The effects of SIIME on therapeutic alliance and symptomatic outcome were compared with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) control conditions. The sample comprised 162 patients with anxiety and depression. Results: Multilevel modeling revealed a significant symptom reduction and significant increase of alliance over the course of therapy. There were no significant time–condition interactions on outcome and alliance, indicating the comparable efficiency of all three treatment conditions. Conclusions: We found no advantage of SIIME versus PMR and TAU. Add‐on mindfulness might not improve individual therapy related to alliance and outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]