Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies

Summary & key facts

This paper looked at many studies to see how mindfulness — paying attention on purpose to the present moment without judging it — affects mental health. The authors reviewed three kinds of research: studies that compare people who are more or less mindful, clinical programs that teach mindfulness, and short laboratory exercises that induce mindfulness. Overall they found that mindfulness is linked with greater well-being, fewer symptoms like anxiety and low mood, less strong emotional reactions, and better self-control, but the studies vary in methods and more research is needed to know exactly when and for whom it helps.

Key facts:

• Mindfulness is defined in this review as awareness of the present moment paired with a nonjudging, accepting attitude.
• The authors reviewed three types of research: studies comparing people’s natural mindfulness levels, studies testing mindfulness programs, and lab tests of brief mindfulness exercises.
• People who score higher on mindfulness measures tend to report greater life satisfaction and fewer mental-health symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
• Programs that teach mindfulness, like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, produced improvements in psychological symptoms in many studies.
• Short mindfulness exercises in lab settings often reduced emotional reactivity and helped people regulate their behavior in the moment.
• The review notes differences between traditional Buddhist mindfulness and the ways mindfulness is used in Western therapy, for example in goal and emphasis.
• The authors say the evidence is promising but not definitive because studies differ in quality, design, and how they measure mindfulness.
• The review does not claim mindfulness is a cure. Instead it describes mindfulness as a practice that is associated with reduced rumination, worry, and overreacting to strong emotions in many studies.

Topics

Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Clinical psychology Computer science Construct (python library) Empirical research Epistemology Intervention (counseling) Mindfulness Philosophy Programming language Psychiatry Psychological intervention Psychological research Psychology Psychotherapist Social psychology

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Depression PTSD Anxiety or worry Difficulty focusing Sadness or low mood