| Interventions |
There are two arms to this study: an active intervention group (8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group) and a waiting list control group The mindfulness-based cognitive therapy involves eight weekly sessions, each one lasting for approximately 120 minutes. The sessions are led by mindfulness facilitators (professionals delivering mindfulness groups with different patient groups within the NHS, who have attended an initial 8-week mindfulness based cognitive therapy program, a further mindfulness teacher training course and who receive regular supervision). The intervention is manualised to ensure consistency across the different venues where it is being delivered. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a psychological group intervention based on the concept that the participants of an eight week MBCT course will experience reduced negative effects from pain and psychological factors such as distress, anxiety and depression at completion of the 8-week course. Those participants allocated to the waiting list control arm of the study will have an opportunity to receive the same MBCT program after six months, once the follow up data has been collected. |