The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Rumination and Cognitive Bias in Individuals Referred to Counseling Centers

Bita Golkarian; Mehdi  Bozorgnezhad Divkolae; Maedeh Ghanbari; Eshagh Samkhaniani; Somayeh  Soleimani Arzefuni

Authors

Bita Golkarian Master of General Psychology, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5975-4744
Mehdi Bozorgnezhad Divkolae Master of Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychology, Aryan Institute of Science and Technology, Babol, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6865-9547
Maedeh Ghanbari Master of General Psychology, Ayatollah Amoli Branch, Islamic Azad University, Amol, Iran Corresponding author https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6773-5382
Eshagh Samkhaniani Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Ayandegan University, Tonekabon, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5377-8860
Somayeh Soleimani Arzefuni Master of Clinical Psychology, Behshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Behshahr, Iran Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5925-5599

Keywords:

Mindfulness, Based Cognitive Therapy, Rumination, Cognitive Bias, Counseling Centers, Cognitive Flexibility

Abstract

Purpose: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on reducing rumination and cognitive bias among individuals referred to counseling centers.

Methods and Materials: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group framework. The statistical population consisted of individuals referred to the Arsam Psychological Services and Counseling Center in Tonekabon, Iran, during 2025. A total of 30 participants were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Data were collected using the Rumination Response Scale (RRS) and the Cognitive Bias Questionnaire. Participants in the experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance after verifying assumptions of normality through the Shapiro–Wilk test.

Findings: Inferential analyses demonstrated significant effects of time on rumination scores (F = 78.427, p < .001, η² = .653) and a significant time × group interaction (F = 16.354, p < .001, η² = .521), indicating that participants who received MBCT experienced substantial reductions in rumination compared with the control group. Similarly, cognitive bias scores showed a significant effect of time (F = 105.553, p < .001, η² = .785) and a significant time × group interaction (F = 31.186, p < .001, η² = .548). These findings suggest that the intervention produced meaningful improvements in both outcome variables, whereas no comparable changes were observed in the control group.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is an effective intervention for reducing rumination and cognitive bias among individuals seeking counseling services. By enhancing present-moment awareness, nonjudgmental attention, and cognitive flexibility, MBCT helps individuals disengage from maladaptive thought patterns and biased information processing.

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