Latest research reveals childhood trauma raises risks in mindfulness

Latest PLOS One research finds that childhood trauma may increase risks in mindfulness meditation programs designed to manage depression.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a combination of meditation practices with cognitive therapy techniques, originally developed to prevent relapse in people who had already recovered from depression.

Over time, MBCT and similar mindfulness-based programs have been offered to people experiencing active depression and while many participants report improvements, researchers have begun to notice that not everyone responds in the same way.

Previous studies hinted that childhood trauma might influence how well mindfulness programs work. In some cases, trauma survivors benefited more from MBCT when it was used to prevent relapse.

But when treating active depression, the picture was vague. Some participants with trauma histories struggled to improve, and reports of meditation-related adverse effects – such as anxiety, panic, or traumatic memories resurfacing, raised concerns.

A research team at Brown University in Rhode Island conducted two clinical trials led by Nicholas K. Canby.

They assessed the participants’ symptoms of depression before and after treatment, monitored dropout rates, and documented any unexpected or adverse experiences during meditation.

Across both trials, childhood trauma consistently predicted poorer depression outcomes. 

Childhood sexual abuse, in particular, emerged as the most consistent predictor of reduced treatment benefit and was significantly associated with higher dropout rates in the larger trial. Emotional neglect and emotional abuse were likewise linked to diminished improvement in depressive symptoms.

Participants with trauma histories were also more prone to meditation-related side effects, including vivid imagery, increased anxiety, dissociation, and emotional blunting. 

Several also reported feeling trapped or overwhelmed during body-focused meditation exercises, which in some cases triggered memories of past abuse.

The authors concluded that “childhood trauma predicts poorer outcomes in MBCT treatment for active depression yet better outcomes when MBCT is used as a relapse prevention program in remitted individuals who are not currently depressed.”