Acceptability, usage, and efficacy of mindfulness apps for college student mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.
Liva G Lamontagne, Jennifer L Doty, David C Diehl, Tyler S Nesbit, Nicholas A Gage, Nayha Kumbkarni, Sophia P Leon
Journal of Affective Disorders December 15, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.09.014 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,974 |
| Population | Non-clinical samples of college students |
| Intervention | mindfulness training apps |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Mobile application Students |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training apps reduced stress and improved emotional well-being with moderate effect sizes, and had smaller effects on depression and anxiety, among college students. |
Abstract
Preventing anxiety and depression among college students is a pressing public health need. Recent meta-analyses have examined mobile mindfulness interventions in adult populations; however, college students are in a unique developmental stage and institutional setting. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies in English language on the acceptability, usage, and efficacy of mindfulness training apps on mental health among non-clinical samples of college students. Out of 167 reviewed studies, 47 were included in the narrative review. Additionally, we summarized effects from 19 stress, 12 anxiety, 13 depression, and 8 emotional well-being trials (total N = 2974) using robust variance estimation meta-regression and evaluated certainty of evidence with the GRADE approach. Apps were acceptable, with usage levels varying. They reduced stress by 0.435 standard deviation units, 95 % CI (-0.615,-0.255), and increased emotional well-being by 0.431 (0.162,0.7) approaching medium effect sizes. The apps had small effects on depression (B = -0.219 (-0.374, -0.065)) and anxiety (B = -0.218 (-0.42, -0.016)). Certainty of evidence was moderate for stress, depression, and well-being; and low-to-moderate for anxiety. Distressed participants had larger improvements in all outcomes except depression. Small sample sizes in the original studies and small numbers of studies limit the precision of our effect estimates. The small number of studies with objective usage data impedes our ability to characterize the optimal dose. With moderate certainty of evidence, mindfulness training apps may improve student mental health with similar or larger effect sizes than in the general adult population. However, sustained usage may be a challenge, and more research is needed on the optimal implementation strategy, dose, and equity.
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
- Digital Mindfulness as a Pedagogical Strategy for Student Engagement in Hybrid Learning: A Systematic Review F1000Research October 13, 2026
- The relationship between trait mindfulness and psychotic-like experiences in a brief AI-generated music listening context: the roles of presence, perceived interactivity, and emotional arousal Frontiers in Psychiatry July 28, 2026
- Beyond distress: a sequential quantitative investigation of MBSR through a dual-factor model of mental health in college students. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program to Improve Well-Being and Health in Healthcare Professionals. Journal of Clinical Medicine October 28, 2025
Cites 25
- The Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory: Extensions, Applications, and Challenges at the Attention–Appraisal–Emotion Interface Psychological Inquiry October 2, 2015
- A mindfulness-based mobile health (mHealth) intervention among psychologically distressed university students in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Counseling Psychology July 15, 2021
- Virtual mindfulness interventions to promote well-being in adults: A mixed-methods systematic review. Journal of Affective Disorders January 4, 2022
- Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2021
- Long-term effects of combined mindfulness intervention and app intervention compared to single interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
and 20 more in the library