Efficacy of MiCBT for family carers : reducing psychological distress and improving mindfulness self-efficacy

Empirical evidence to support the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in improving psychological well-being and mindfulness ability has been well documented in clinical populations, and more recently in non-clinical populations such as family carers. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of Mindfulnessintegrated Cognitive Behavioural therapy (MiCBT; Cayoun, 2011) delivered over a 9-week group program in a sample of 33 family carers. As hypothesised on the basis of previous research, family carers reported significant reductions in perceived levels of depression, anxiety and stress, and significant improvements in mindfulness-based self-efficacy and mindfulness-related skills over the duration of the program. Benefits were also maintained at 1-month follow-up. Correlation analyses indicated preliminary evidence for a negative relationship between carers' levels of stress and mindfulness-based self-efficacy. However, due to the small sample size, further research directions are suggested to confirm the effectiveness of MiCBT for family carers