(PS14-83) The Effects of Mindfulness and Acceptance-based Components on Depression Symptoms Among a Weight Loss Seeking Population

Depression symptoms have a strong relationship with weight such that depression symptoms tend to decrease when one engages in weight loss efforts. However, it is unclear why this effect is observed. It is theorized that psychological strategies taught as part of a weight loss program may generalize to depression. For instance, mindfulness and acceptance-based weight loss (MABT) components (i.e., mindful awareness, mindful acceptance, values clarity) can be expected to act on depression as well as weight. In this study, adults (N=233) with overweight or obesity who were enrolled in a larger MABT for weight loss clinical trial, had their levels of depression measured (with the Beck Depression Inventory) at baseline and 12 months using a 2x2x2 factorial design. Modest and non-statistically significant decreases in depression were observed for mindful awareness and values clarity components. Mindful acceptance was the only treatment component that had a significant effect on depressive symptoms such that those in this treatment component experienced a significant decrease in depressive symptoms from pre- to post-treatment (B = -1.73, β = -0.27, t(228) = -2.42, p = .02). This finding is likely the result of the applicability of strategies emphasized in the mindful acceptance component to depression (i.e., willingness to engage in behaviors despite lapses in motivation, cognitive defusion). Findings suggest that future weight loss interventions could benefit from retaining and further emphasizing the mindful acceptance component as it was the only component of the MABT package that had a significant positive effect on post-treatment depressive symptoms.