Bruno A. Cayoun and Andrea D. Grabovac
Encyclopedia chapter on Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (MiCBT), covering its background, four-stage model and evidence base.
Abstract
Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) is an evidence-based, transdiagnostic, and structured psychological therapy that integrates mindfulness training with principles of cognitive and behavioral science, affective neuroscience, and core mechanisms derived from Buddhist psychology. It is designed as a four-stage model addressing intrapersonal, behavioral, interpersonal, and transpersonal domains of functioning, delivered typically over a 10-week program. MiCBT teaches skills that reduce self-referential processing and emotional reactivity, modify maladaptive behavioral patterns, and cultivate prosocial functioning through the systematic development of mindfulness, equanimity, exposure, interpersonal skills, and compassion, accompanied by ethical behavior. The approach has been positioned within the literature as a “second generation of mindfulness-based intervention” (Van Gor don & Shonin, 2020) due to its incorporation of a wide range of Buddhist psychological constructs and practices, and its grounding in interoceptive desensitization and related neuroscience, along with a new understanding and application of operant conditioning that supports transdiagn ostic applicability (Francis et al., 2024). It is supported by empirical literature demonstrating its effectiveness across a wide range of psychological and health conditions (Boldt et al., 2025). Although secular in delivery, MiCBT draws from Buddhist psychology frameworks and integrates them seamlessly with cognitive and behavioral principles throughout the program. These principles inform the structure of the program and the cultivation of prosocial behavior in a way that promotes personal growth and helps prevent relapse.
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Citation: Cayoun, B. A., & Grabovac, A. D. (2026). Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy. In N. N. Singh (Ed.), Encyclopedia of mindfulness, Buddhism, and other contemplative practices. Springer Nature, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90465-4_131-1