Mood disorders: mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Mood disorders: mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

Sample item

A 45-year-old woman has had three depressive episodes and is now in remission off medication. She wants a non-drug approach to lower her chance of relapse. Which structured group programme has evidence for this purpose?

AClassical psychoanalysisBAversion therapyCMindfulness-based cognitive therapyDSleep deprivation therapy

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy elements to help patients notice and disengage from ruminative thought patterns. It reduces relapse in people with three or more past depressive episodes who are now well.

Option by option

A. Classical psychoanalysis
Classical psychoanalysis is long and has no strong evidence for relapse prevention.
B. Aversion therapy
Aversion therapy pairs a behaviour with an unpleasant stimulus and has no role in preventing depressive relapse.
C. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (correct)
Correct. It was designed to prevent relapse in recurrent depression.
D. Sleep deprivation therapy
Sleep deprivation gives a transient antidepressant effect in acute depression and does not prevent relapse.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is C, Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy elements to help patients notice and disengage from ruminative thought patterns.

Why is "Classical psychoanalysis" not the answer?

Classical psychoanalysis is long and has no strong evidence for relapse prevention.

Why is "Aversion therapy" not the answer?

Aversion therapy pairs a behaviour with an unpleasant stimulus and has no role in preventing depressive relapse.

Why is "Sleep deprivation therapy" not the answer?

Sleep deprivation gives a transient antidepressant effect in acute depression and does not prevent relapse.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Mood disorders: mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in Psychiatry. It reduces relapse in people with three or more past depressive episodes who are now well.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Mood disorders: mindfulness-based cognitive therapy?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.