Examining Cognitive Mechanisms of Clinical Improvement Following Mindfulness Based Therapy for Depressed Individuals

Depression one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Individuals suffering from
depression typically exhibit impairments in various mental abilities, such as the ability to
effectively direct and control attention and the ability to switch between thinking about
different things and concepts (commonly referred to as "cognitive flexibility").

Mindfulness meditation training is a technique which involves focusing one's awareness on
the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and
bodily sensations. It has been well documented to improve depressive symptoms and prevent
recurrence of depressive episodes, yet little is known about how mindfulness does so and
what are the underlying mental mechanisms involved. Here the investigators propose to
examine the efficacy of an 8-week mindfulness training program in improving the ability to
direct and control attention, as well as in cognitive flexibility.

Individuals diagnosed with recurrent depression will undergo an 8-week mindfulness training
program. Participants' depressive symptoms as well as their performance on measures of
attention and cognitive flexibility will be examined. Participants will be assigned to
mindfulness training or a wait-list control group. Half of the participants will be examined
before and after the mindfulness training program and the other half will be tested 8-weeks
apart and then begin their training.