MBCT aims to prevent relapse in recurrent depression by doing what?

• A. Mindfulness practices integrated with cognitive strategies to decenter from rumination.
• B. Thought suppression to eliminate negative thoughts.
• C. Using only medication to manage symptoms.
• D. Relying solely on relaxation techniques.

Answer: (A)

MBCT targets relapse by changing how you relate to your thoughts. It blends mindfulness training—cultivating present-moment, nonjudgmental awareness—with cognitive strategies that help you notice thoughts as mental events rather than facts. This builds decentering, so you don’t get swept up in rumination or automatic negative thinking. By recognizing early mood shifts and viewing thoughts with distance, you can respond adaptively instead of falling back into depressive patterns. This combination is more effective for preventing relapse than simply trying to suppress thoughts, relying only on medication, or using relaxation alone, because it changes both the experience of thoughts and the way you react to them.