Mindfulness Interventions in Older Adults for Mental Health and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis.
Paul Verhaeghen, Shelley N. Aikman, Grazia Mirabito
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences March 12, 2025 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbae205 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Older adults (average age 60 or older; 20 healthy, 26 with underlying symptoms) |
| Intervention | ad hoc protocol |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Caregivers |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness interventions yield a modest overall effect (Hedges' g = 0.25) on older adults' mental health and well-being, with MBCT and other protocols showing significant benefits while MBSR does not. |
Abstract
Mindfulness interventions are consistently associated with beneficial effects in younger adults. In this meta-analysis, we seek to quantify the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for the mental health and well-being of older adults. We include 46 studies that implemented a mindfulness intervention (MBSR = 20; MBCT = 9; ad hoc protocol = 17) with older adults (samples with an average age of 60 or older; healthy adults = 20; adults with underlying symptoms = 26), examining a wide range of outcome measures (e.g., stress, quality of life, sleep). Mindfulness interventions in older adults yielded an estimated Hedges' g of 0.25. Moderator analyses revealed three significant effects. Type of intervention mattered, with the effect size for MBSR not significantly different from zero (Hedges' g = 0.12) while the effect sizes for MBCT (Hedges' g = 0.33) and "other" interventions (Hedges' g = 0.36) were. Outcome measure mattered, with significant beneficial effect sizes for mental functioning (Hedges' g = 0.59), depression (Hedges' g = 0.35), sleep (Hedges' g = 0.39), anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.32), "other" (Hedges' g = 0.24), stress (Hedges' g = 0.22) and mindfulness (Hedges' g = 0.23). Finally, whether the outcome was targeted (e.g., measures of depression in a population suffering from major depressive disorder) mattered: variables that measured targeted outcomes yielded stronger effects (Hedges' g = 0.30). Mindfulness interventions with older adults are effective, but modestly so. The extant literature is limited by reliance on modified interventions that have not been evaluated for effectiveness.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Intervention-induced changes in state mindfulness do not predict trait changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, or perceived stress. Scientific Reports November 21, 2025
- Mindfulness and life satisfaction in post-earthquake young adults: longitudinal mediation by psychological adjustment. BMC Psychology February 3, 2026
- [The mediating role of loneliness in the relationship between mindfulness and life satisfaction in older adults]. Revista Espanola de Geriatria y Gerontologia June 29, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program to Improve Well-Being and Health in Healthcare Professionals. Journal of Clinical Medicine October 28, 2025
Cites 31
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 26 more in the library