Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.)
May 1, 2024
Sarah Strohmaier, Simon B. Goldberg
13 citations
Improvements in the quality of mindfulness meditation practice over time are linked to reductions in anxiety and stress and increases in mindfulness, but not the reverse. Data from a randomized controlled trial with 48 novice practitioners from the general population who used low-dose mindfulness practices suggests that practice quality drives better psychological outcomes, supporting its importance even in low-dose and self-help programs.
June 23, 2023
Nicholas Bowles, Jonathan N. Davies, Sarah Strohmaier et al.
10 citations
preprint
Mindfulness meditation is widely practiced in religious and secular settings, with many studies suggesting benefits for psychosocial well-being. Yet little is known about dose-response effects—how often or how long one must practice to achieve specific goals. Recommended practice durations are becoming shorter, but the impact of this reduction on outcomes is unclear. This review critically appraises evidence from empirical studies, traditional sources, and contemporary teaching trends. It argues that previous studies' limited dose ranges and analytic approaches hinder understanding of dose-response. The authors propose a research agenda prioritizing dose-response questions, using designs optimized to examine how the relationship varies by outcome and individual, which could reconcile conflicting knowledge and tailor mindfulness offerings.
Brain Sciences
December 6, 2023
Florian Kurth, Sarah Strohmaier, Eileen Luders
7 citations
Older age is linked to smaller orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) volumes, but this age-related decline is less steep in long-term meditation practitioners than in non-practitioners. In a sample of 50 meditators and 50 matched controls, negative correlations between age and OFC volumes were found in both groups, yet meditators showed a diminished decline in several left and right subregions (Fo2, Fo3, Fo4, Fo7, left Fo5, and right Fo6). The OFC contributes to mental processes related to meditation, and different subregions support distinct brain functions. Further research is needed to understand the functional implications of these findings for meditation and the aging brain.
Personality and Individual Differences
May 26, 2025
Sarah Strohmaier, Oleg N. Medvedev
3 citations
Personality and mindfulness traits predict how people respond to brief mindfulness interventions. A multinational sample of 636 adults completed personality and mindfulness measures, then were randomly assigned to a 5-minute, 20-minute, or active control mindfulness practice. Latent profile analysis identified three personality-mindfulness profiles: 'Mindful-adaptive,' 'Reserved-disengaged,' and 'Ruminative-preoccupied.' For the Ruminative-preoccupied profile, all practice lengths produced significant medium-to-large improvements in affect. For the Reserved-disengaged profile, only the shorter 5-minute practice yielded a significant medium-to-large effect. The Mindful-adaptive profile showed no significant benefit from any practice. The authors argue that tailoring intervention dose to personality profiles could improve effectiveness.
July 18, 2026
Sarah Strohmaier, Bruno Cayoun, Alice Shires et al.
preprint
Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) produced large reductions in stress and increases in equanimity among 326 adults assessed at two psychology clinics. More severe depression and PTSD diagnoses predicted faster distress reduction, while PTSD and ADHD predicted greater life satisfaction gains. Younger age, lower baseline life satisfaction, and personality disorder diagnosis predicted lower treatment retention. Prior meditation experience increased the likelihood of enrolling in MiCBT but did not affect retention, whereas ADHD diagnosis predicted non-enrolment but not discontinuation after starting.
Mindfulness
February 12, 2026
Sarah Strohmaier, Fergal W. Jones, Oleg N. Medvedev
A single session of mindfulness practice, whether 5 or 20 minutes, increases state mindfulness more than an active control activity, with longer sessions enhancing decentering. Contrary to expectations, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness to experience did not influence how people responded to different practice lengths. However, agreeableness moderated the effect: people lower in agreeableness experienced a significantly greater reduction in negative affect after a shorter practice compared to those higher in agreeableness. Trait mindfulness also affected how people responded to different doses. These findings suggest that personalizing the length of brief mindfulness exercises based on personality traits could improve their benefits and cost-effectiveness.