Trends and Developments in Mindfulness Research over 55 Years: A Bibliometric Analysis of Publications Indexed in Web of Science
Mindfulness July 16, 2021 A. Baminiwatta, Indrajith Solangaarachchi
A bibliometric analysis of 16,581 mindfulness publications from 1966 to 2021 shows exponential growth since 2006. Nearly half (47%) of publications were in psychology and one-fifth (20.8%) in psychiatry. The journal Mindfulness contributed 7% of all publications, and Eric L. Garland was the most prolific author. Most research originated from Western countries, though Asian representation increased. Frequently co-occurring keywords included meditation, depression, stress, and anxiety. Early research (1966–2015) was inspired by spiritual themes, while recent trends (2016–2021) show rising interest in mechanisms, long-term meditation, neuroscientific studies, and smartphone or online delivery of interventions.