Efficacy of Beck Cognitive Therapy and Teasdale Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Reduction of Depressive Symptoms and Modification of Meta-Cognitive Beliefs in Dysthymic Patients

The aim of the present research was to compare the efficacy of Beck’s cognitive therapy and Teasdale’s mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in reducing depression and modification of meta-cognitive beliefs in dysthymic patients. The sample consisted of 30 subjects randomly selected from patients with dysthymia who consulted 6 clinics in the city of Mashhad. The subjects were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and each group was treated for a three month period using either Beck’s cognitive therapy or Teasdale’s mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The instruments employed in this research were the Beck Depression Inventory, Psychological Interview, and Meta-cognition Questionnaire. Subjects completed the tests through pretest, posttest and follow up intervals. A repeated measure of analysis of variance showed that Beck’s cognitive therapy and Teasdale’s mindfulness-based cognitive therapy were effective in reducing depression and modification of meta-cognitive beliefs. However, no significant difference was found between Beck’s cognitive therapy and Teasdale’s mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in reducing depression and modification of meta-cognitive beliefs in dysthymic patients.