Answer this question to the best of your ability:
How does the "active ingredient" of MBSR affect its effectiveness?
The specific feature of MBSR, or Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, that contributes to its effectiveness is the practice of mindfulness meditation. This has been shown in studies to speed up healing for certain conditions like psoriasis and improve long-term outcomes for participants, proportional to their amount of formal reflective meditation time. While gathering in a reflective group setting may also contribute to the program's success, it is the meditation practice itself that appears to be the key component.