A randomized controlled trial tested whether mindfulness training enhances inner peace in people without mental disorders. Fifty-seven participants were assigned to either mindfulness training or a wait-list control. Inner peace was measured using the experience sampling method, along with attentional focus via the Meditation Breath Attention Score and self-reported mindfulness via the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Mindfulness training increased scores for inner peace, attentional focus, and self-reported mindfulness compared to the control group. However, changes in inner peace were not explained by changes in self-rated mindfulness or attentional focus. The findings suggest mindfulness training can improve inner peace, though only immediate effects were examined.
From 1900 to 2021, research on meditation—especially mindfulness meditation—grew from a single article in 1963 to 19,752 publications. The United States leads in collaboration, output, and citations. The journal Mindfulness published the most articles, and the most cited paper is Brown and Ryan's work on mindfulness and psychological well-being. Frequently studied topics include mindfulness, meditation, depression, intervention, stress reduction, stress, and anxiety. Before 2010, research focused on hypertension, cancer, and generalized anxiety disorder; after 2010, interest shifted to meta-analysis, attention, self-assessment, and mindfulness-based interventions. These results map the field's development and guide future research.