Do people change in mindfulness based cognitive therapy?
The aim of this study was to explore development and change in mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) qualitatively. Participants of MBCT were interviewed before and after the group intervention. The development in relation to problematic experience was analyzed with the Assimilation of Problematic Experience Scale on the basis of interview utterance data. The results showed that almost half of the participants clearly developed in how they related to problematic experience. Emerging change was perceived in the utterances of some participants. One third of the participants did not show any development in relation to problematic experience. MBCT was found to be most effective in the development of those participants who already had conceptual tools for reflecting on their problematic experience. Those participants who integrated mindfulness-skills into their self-regulation also developed in how they dealt with problematic experiences in general.