We compared pre-post effect sizes for MBCT and MBSR on both depression and anxiety symptom severity. Nine studies employing MBCT reported data from measures of depressive symptom severity. The mean effect size for this pooled data was Hedges’ g = 0.85 (95% CI: 0.71-1.00, p < .01). Nineteen studies employing MBSR reported data from measures of depressive symptom severity, and the effect size for the pooled data was Hedges’ g = 0.49 (95% CI: 0.42-0.56, p < .01). Six studies employing MBCT reported data from measures of anxiety symptom severity, and the mean effect size for this pooled data was Hedges’ g = 0.79 (95% CI: 0.45-1.13, p < .001). Twenty studies employing MBSR reported data from measures of anxiety symptom severity, and the effect size for the pooled data was Hedges’ g = 0.55 (95% CI: 0.44-0.66, p < .001). These results suggest that MBCT and MBSR are both effective for reducing anxiety and depression from pre to post-treatment.
