JMIR Research Protocols
July 17, 2026
Lillian Ofori Ward, Cate Bailey, Prai Wattanatakulchat et al.
In recent decades, millions of people globally have taken up Buddhist spiritual and secularized meditation practices, such as mindfulness, with the aim of improving their quality of life and well-being. Practitioners are recommended to continue meditating regularly for the long term; however, the effects of regular meditation practice after introductory instruction remain scientifically...
June 25, 2026
Nicholas Bowles, Nicholas T. van Dam, Jonathan N. Davies et al.
preprint
Background/Objectives: Psychological benefits have been demonstrated across a variety of different meditation offerings. There remains, however, limited evidence clarifying how different ‘doses’ of meditation relate to benefits, highlighting fundamental limitations for clinical best practice. The present study aimed to examine dose–response effects across a range of daily mindfulness meditation...
JMIR mHealth and uHealth
June 8, 2026
Julia Adams, Jonathan N. Davies, Prai Wattanatakulchat et al.
Meditation apps are increasingly popular but face significant engagement challenges. Most research does not meaningfully capture real-world engagement or associated user characteristics. Engagement patterns and reasons for engaging or disengaging remain relatively unexplored. This study aimed to examine Medito app user engagement over the first 30 days after download and how intended use,...
Mindfulness
May 19, 2026
Tim Wood, Merle Kock, Nicholas T. van Dam et al.
Abstract Objectives Meditation can elicit intense experiences that change the sense of self, alter worldview, and evoke strong negative and positive emotions, impacting daily life. These intense meditation-related experiences (IMREs) often begin suddenly but their emotional impact and meaning can change significantly as meditators reflect on and interpret them over time, shaped by an interplay...
Scientific Reports
May 19, 2026
Karin Matko, Cate Bailey, Julieta Galante et al.
Abstract Contemplative practices (including meditation and yoga) are increasingly popular worldwide, especially as alternatives and/or complements to mental health treatment. However, nationally representative samples that allow for accurate estimates of prevalence and relation to mental health are scarce. We conducted a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey in Australia and New...
Scientific Reports
May 8, 2026
Erola Pons, Julieta Galante, Nicholas T. van Dam et al.
Depersonalization/derealization (DPDR) involves feeling detached from one's body, thoughts, or emotions and is often triggered by trauma, stress, mental health issues, or drug use, typically causing high distress. Similar experiences are also reported in meditation contexts, where they are often described as positive, insightful, and meaningful. However, no study has systematically compared...
Mindfulness
February 25, 2026
Cate Bailey, Nicholas T. van Dam, Jonathan N. Davies et al.
Abstract Objectives The prevalence of mental health disorders globally is increasing, and contemplative practices (such as meditation/mindfulness) are recommended by many health professionals to address this issue. These practices now need to be carefully evaluated for safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. We aimed to investigate key data to inform future economic evaluations in this...
Journal of Medical Internet Research
February 2, 2026
Julia Adams, Jonathan N. Davies, Prai Wattanatakulchat et al.
Meditation apps are increasingly popular, yet there is limited understanding of how much users actually engage with them. While meditation apps show promise for supporting mental health, engagement in real-world settings appears to be notably low. The patterns of app use and the factors that influence usage remain relatively unclear. This study aims to examine the extent of meditation app use...
Current Opinion in Psychology
February 1, 2026
Karin Matko, Nicholas T. van Dam
4 citations
Despite the growing popularity of mindfulness, mindfulness-based programs (MBPs), and meditation, potential harms have largely been overlooked. Recent studies reveal that 25-87 % of those who engage in meditation report adverse effects (AEs), with 3-37 % experiencing functional impairment (e.g., inability to work). It remains unclear to what extent AEs reflect transitory discomfort vs. lasting...
Pedagogy Culture and Society
December 8, 2025
Christopher T. Mccaw, Haisu Sun, Julieta Galante et al.
This article presents a model for the application of contemplative pedagogy in higher education, with a focus on rich contextualisation and interdisciplinarity. We articulate a vision for a multiplicity of contemplative pedagogies and present a conceptual framework to guide the understanding, analysis, and evaluation of contemplative practices within learning processes. This framework draws...
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
December 4, 2025
Jonathan N. Davies, Cate Bailey, Julieta Galante et al.
1 citation
BACKGROUND: Meditation use has grown significantly in recent decades. However, population prevalence data is largely absent in Australasia. METHODS: We surveyed adults in Australia (n = 2,072) and New Zealand (n = 571) in 2023, using census-informed quotas for age, gender, ancestry/ethnicity, region and income. We calculated lifetime and past year meditation use estimates and conducted...
October 20, 2025
Karin Matko, Cate Bailey, Julieta Galante et al.
preprint
Introduction: Contemplative practices (including meditation and yoga) are increasingly popular worldwide, especially as alternatives and/or complements to mental health treatment. However, nationally representative samples that allow for accurate estimates of prevalence and relation to mental health are scarce. Methods: We conducted a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey in...
Mindfulness (N Y)
September 26, 2025
Saampras Ganesan, Nicholas T. van Dam, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
3 citations
Neurofeedback Training Facilitates Awareness and Enhances Emotional Well-being Associated with Real-World Meditation Practice: A 7-T MRI Study.
Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being
August 1, 2025
Nicholas Bowles, Nicholas T. van Dam
6 citations
The popularity of meditation has surged in recent years, driven by the accessibility of digital platforms. In this context, shorter sessions have become common, often accompanied by claims of substantial benefits. The vast differences in practice intensity-from traditional monastic training and residential retreats to multi-week Mindfulness-Based Programs and infrequent digital home...
JMIR Research Protocols
July 29, 2025
Nicholas Bowles, Alexander Burger, Jonathan N. Davies et al.
Mindfulness meditation has demonstrated modest benefits for mental health and well-being, although the relationship between practice dose and outcomes is unclear. Meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials have shown mixed results so far, although such results may stem from methodological issues rather than reflecting the absence of an underlying effect. Research outside structured programs...
July 25, 2025
Tom Wood, Merle Kock, Nicholas T. van Dam et al.
preprint
Introduction Meditation can elicit intense experiences that change the sense of self, alter worldview, and evoke strong negative and positive emotions, impacting daily life. Intense meditation-related experiences (IMREs) are often sparked by a profound moment, can change in appraised emotional valence and conceptual meaning over time, and are shaped by an interplay of embodied and conceptual...
May 27, 2025
Prai Wattanatakulchat, Julieta Galante, Timothy Wood et al.
preprint
Objective. Unwanted meditation-related experiences commonly occur and alternate with positive experiences over time. So far, effects have been studied as discrete events, creating difficulties to predict challenging experiences. We explored meditation experiences through a developmental lens, investigating whether a modern interpretation of the Stages of Insight (SoI), a Buddhist model of...
Pilot and Feasibility Studies
March 15, 2025
Anita B Amorim, Trudy Rebbeck, Nicholas T. van Dam et al.
Chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions affect millions of people worldwide and place a significant burden on individuals and the healthcare systems. Managing chronic musculoskeletal pain requires a multidisciplinary approach that considers biological, psychological, and social factors. However, access to multidisciplinary pain care is challenging, and long wait times can lead to increased...
Mindfulness
March 1, 2025
Julieta Galante, Nicholas T. van Dam
6 citations
Abstract We offer an invited commentary on the article entitled “Mindfulness for Global Public Health: Critical Analysis and Agenda” by Doug Oman. First, we question his proposal that it would be advantageous to include a more diverse set of contemplative practices under the mindfulness umbrella term, and instead we argue for the opposite. We propose that academics move the term mindfulness...
February 17, 2025
Nicholas Bowles, A. Bürger, Jonathan N. Davies et al.
BACKGROUND Mindfulness meditation has demonstrated modest benefits for mental health and well-being, although the relationship between practice dose and outcomes is unclear. Meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials have shown mixed results so far, although such results may stem from methodological issues rather than reflecting the absence of an underlying effect. Research outside...
February 11, 2025
Christopher T. Mccaw, Julieta Galante, Cullan Joyce et al.
This article presents a model for the application of contemplative pedagogy in higher education settings, with a focus on rich contextualisation and interdisciplinarity. We articulate a vision for a multiplicity of contemplative pedagogies, and present a conceptual framework to guide the understanding, analysis, and evaluation of contemplative practices within learning processes. This framework...
Mindfulness
February 1, 2025
Yana Ryakhovskaya, Nicholas T. van Dam, Luke D. Smillie
2 citations
Abstract Objectives Meditation has received increasing interest from scientists and the public for potential benefits to mental health and well-being. We examined personality predictors and expectancies of meditation to understand who engages with meditation. We also investigated whether personality traits predict interest in information relating to meditation and well-being activities, and...
Clinical Psychological Science
January 6, 2025
Nicholas T. van Dam, Jessica Targett, Jonathan N. Davies et al.
14 citations
Estimates suggest that meditation use is comparable to mental-health-service access in the United States. Understanding meditation-related adverse effects (AEs) is therefore critical. We aimed to (a) estimate the incidence of meditation-related unusual experiences and AEs using different methods and (b) identify sociodemographic and health-related characteristics predicting their incidence. We...
International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England)
December 1, 2024
Roman Palitsky, Nicholas K. Canby, Nicholas T. van Dam et al.
6 citations
Psychedelics have shown early evidence for a range of benefits and low harm profiles in extant research. However, adverse effects (AEs) research in psychedelics has been limited, leading to underspecified AE profiles, inconsistent measurement, and potential undercounting of AEs. The development of safe, effective psychedelic therapies and treatments for AEs when they occur requires a thorough...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
October 26, 2024
Saampras Ganesan, Nicholas T. van Dam, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
3 citations
preprint
Meditation can benefit well-being and mental health, but novices often struggle to effectively recognize and disengage from mental processes during meditation due to limited awareness, potentially diminishing meditation's benefits. We investigated whether personalised high-precision neurofeedback (NF) can improve disengagement from mental activity during meditation and enhance meditation's...