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: = .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.