Martins, M. J., Carreiras, D., Bajouco, M., Barreto Carvalho, C., Guiomar, R., Macedo, A., & Castilho, P. (2017). Mindfulness and negative symptoms of Psychosis: A review and discussion on an integrative theoretical model. In Boyd Muireadhach & Griogair Colin (Eds) (2017). Mindfulness. Past, Present and Future Perspectives. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
In the present chapter, we will begin to review the definitions and types of negative symptoms following the NIMH-MATRICS Consensus Statement on Negative Symptoms (Kirkpatrick, Fenton, Carpenter, & Marder, 2006). Limitations of pharmacological treatments of negative symptoms will be discussed and psychological treatments will be introduced. Results on cognitive-behavioral interventions for negative symptoms will be briefly reviewed and potential for improvement will be discussed. The following subsection is dedicated to mindfulness. Mindfulness-based interventions are gaining empirical support as alternative or adjunctive treatments for a variety of mental health conditions. Emerging evidence now suggests that mindfulness-based
treatments may also improve clinical features of psychosis, including negative symptoms. Mindfulness for psychosis will then be explored, both theoretically and empirically. The theoretical model regarding the mindful response (characterized by an accepting, non-judgmental and ‘letting go’ attitude) to distressing psychotic experiences will be discussed (Chadwick, Taylor, & Abba, 2005) and an empirical account on psychological processes involved when people with psychotic symptoms learn to respond mindfully to their distressing symptoms (Abba, Chadwick, & Stevenson, 2008) will also be presented. Other contextual behavioral models, namely acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion-based interventions, and behavioral activation, will be illustrated considering their adaptations for psychosis. Empirical studies using mindfulness-based approaches for psychosis will be explored. In the last section of the chapter we will discuss the role of mindfulness specifically in the negative symptoms of psychosis both in cross-sectional studies and in longitudinal treatment trials. Improvement in negative symptoms after mindfulness-based interventions will be highlighted. Finally, an integrative model for negative symptoms will be will be proposed, illustrated and discussed. Conclusions will be presented and new directions for research on negative symptoms will be suggested.