Online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as an adjuvant-treatment for Chinese patients with psoriasis: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

Patients with psoriasis often experience emotional distress, which may be alleviated through psychological interventions.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) as an adjuvant treatment for psoriasis, focusing on severity of lesion, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and itching.

METHODS

This randomized trial enrolled 109 patients with psoriasis assigned to either treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus MBCT, which included 8 weekly online sessions. Primary outcomes included Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), Self-Rating Anxiety/Depression Scale (SAS/SDS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Itching was a secondary outcome measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Treatment effects were analyzed with mixed linear models.

RESULTS

A total of 109 patients were randomized 1:1 to MBCT + TAU (n = 53) or TAU (n = 56). Significant group × time interactions favoring MBCT + TAU were observed for PASI (F = 3.746, P = .013, d = 0.331), SDS (F = 3.205, P = .025, d = 0.269), DLQI (F = 3.130, P = .028, d = 0.309), and VAS (F = 3.126, P = .028, d = 0.295). No significant between-group difference was found for anxiety.

LIMITATIONS: Single-center.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjunctive online MBCT led to improvements in psoriasis severity, depression, DLQI and itching, suggesting its potential to enhance comprehensive psoriasis management.