Mindfulness-Based Interventions for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review.
Luca Simione, Alessandro Frolli, Francesca Sciattella, Salvatore Gaetano Chiarella
Brain Sciences September 30, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14101001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Asd Autism spectrum disorder Mental health Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions show feasibility and utility for individuals with ASD and their caregivers, but recommendations should be made with caution due to the overall low quality of the studies. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged in recent years as a strong candidate for the treatment of a range of difficulties faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including cognitive, emotional, and social aspects. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a review that systematically examined the efficacy of MBIs for individuals with ASD and their caregivers. This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Our literature search was conducted within the MEDLINE database. We included in the review only longitudinal or intervention studies focusing mainly on mindfulness principles, while we excluded mixed intervention studies. We only included studies that explicitly utilized quantitative methodologies for evaluating the outcomes of the interventions, including mental health indices (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) and assessments of cognitive and social skills (e.g., attention, prosociality). We conducted also a risk of bias assessment through the method of the Cochrane risk of bias tool for intervention studies ROBINS-I. Thirty-seven studies were included in the review, and we grouped the studies by the targets of the interventions, i.e., adults (n = 12), children and adolescents (n = 9), caregivers and medical staff (n = 13), and combined intervention for both children/adolescents and their parents/caregivers (n = 5). The reviewed papers seem to support the feasibility and utility of mindfulness interventions for persons with ASD and their caregivers, but any recommendations based on this body of evidence should be made with caution due to the overall low quality of the studies conducted so far. The review reveals a positive outcome, including the alleviation of psychological distress, reduced behavioral problems, and enhanced cognitive and social skills in individuals with ASD. Despite such promising results, the review notes a limitation in the scarcity of MBIs for young patients, emphasizing caution in universally endorsing the existing literature. Moreover, the results underline the urgency of the exploration of tailored interventions for different ASD subgroups, considering varying levels of autism, and expanding support to teachers in educational settings.
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
- Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effects on EEG and Executive Functions: A Systematic Review. Brain Sciences March 20, 2025
- The impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy on individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: A systematic review. Journal of Psychiatric Research January 29, 2026
- Exploring the mind-brain relationship to advance mental health research and practice Current Psychology December 1, 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Groups for Autistic Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial Autism in Adulthood November 26, 2025
Cites 48
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological Well-being and Quality of Life: Is Increased Mindfulness Indeed the Mechanism? Annals of Behavioral Medicine June 1, 2008
- The moderation of Mindfulness‐based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness: Results from a randomized controlled trial Journal of Clinical Psychology December 22, 2010
- Meta-analytic evidence for effects of mindfulness training on dimensions of self-reported dispositional mindfulness. Psychological Assessment 2016
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
and 43 more in the library