Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and reduction of anxiety symptoms in people with fibromyalgia

Anxiety is one of the psychological symptoms that accompany fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes chronic pain, along with ether physical and psychological symptoms. Fibromyalgia causes a strong impact on different areas of the patient s life. In this study we test the effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002) in improving symptoms of anxiety in a sample of participants diagnosed with fibromyalgia. We performed an experimental pre-post treatment design with a 3-month follow-up. The sample (N = 34) consisted of 33 women and 1 man aged between 30 and 77. The results indicated that this treatment was effective in improving short-term state anxiety. It is important to continue studying the short, medium and long term therapeutic effects of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy on the psychological and physical symptoms of those who suffer from fibromyalgia.