Background and Objective: Despite its high prevalence, significant adverse consequences, considerable economic burden, and diverse clinical manifestations, insomnia remains a relatively underrecognized disorder. Therefore, identifying the factors influencing it and developing effective therapeutic approaches are of undeniable necessity. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on cognitive emotion regulation and rumination among individuals diagnosed with insomnia.
Research Methodology: This experimental study employed a pretest–posttest control group design with a one-month follow-up. Using a convenience sampling method, 30 individuals with insomnia who referred to counseling centers and clinics in Tehran were selected and randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group underwent MBCT sessions over a period of two months. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS) were administered to both groups before and after the intervention and at the follow-up stage. Data were analyzed using Mixed Analysis of Variance (Mixed ANOVA).
Findings: The results indicated a significant effect of MBCT on reducing maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (F = 35.30, p < .001), enhancing adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (F = 42.01, p < .001), and decreasing rumination (F = 170.34, p < .001) in individuals with insomnia. These changes remained stable at the one-month follow-up.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy significantly improved cognitive emotion regulation and reduced rumination. These results highlight the potential of MBCT as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for the management and treatment of insomnia.