The effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Yumiao Fu, Yifan Song, Yining Li, Dalinda Isabel Sanchez-Vidana, Jack Jiaqi Zhang, Way Kwok-Wai Lau, Davynn Gim Hoon Tan, Shirley Pui Ching Ngai, Benson Wui-Man Lau
Scientific Reports August 30, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71213-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with depression |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Covid-19 Depressive symptoms |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation interventions significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to comparison groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Abstract
Currently, 280 million people worldwide experience depression, ranking it third in the global burden of disease. The incidence of depression has risen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it essential to examine evidence-based practices in reducing depressive symptoms during this unprecedented time. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to analyze randomized controlled trials during the COVID-19 pandemic that evaluated the effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms in individuals with depression. Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus) were searched in November 2023 using search terms including meditation, mindfulness, depression, and depressive symptoms. The meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4 software (Cochrane Collaboration). A random model and Standard Mean Difference analysis with 95% CIs were used for continuous variables. The systematic review included 26 RCT studies. The meta-analysis showed significant effects of mindfulness meditation interventions (SMD = - 1.14; 95% CI - 1.45 to - 0.83; P < 0.001) in reducing depressive symptoms compared to comparison groups. The findings suggest a positive effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms in individuals with depression during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 8
- Effectiveness of Neurofeedback-Assisted and Conventional 6-Week Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions on Mental Health of Chinese Nursing Students: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research May 23, 2025
- Improving exercise motivation and physical fitness in college students through a long-term mindfulness-enhanced Tai Chi Chuan program: a randomized controlled trial PeerJ January 9, 2026
- Death recollection moderates stress-influenced depression in Thai boarding school students. BMC Psychology July 29, 2025
- Mindfulness in the Brazilian National Health System (SUS): Why Training Instructors Is Not Expensive but Strategic and Cost-Effective Qeios August 31, 2026
- Exploring the mind-brain relationship to advance mental health research and practice Current Psychology December 1, 2025
and 3 more in the library
Cites 35
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Management of Treatment-Resistant Depression: Challenges and Strategies Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2020
- Cognitive-Affective Neural Plasticity following Active-Controlled Mindfulness Intervention Journal of Neuroscience October 31, 2012
- Testing the mindfulness-to-meaning theory: Evidence for mindful positive emotion regulation from a reanalysis of longitudinal data. PLoS One December 6, 2017
- Effect of Mindfulness Breathing Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial among University Students Healthcare December 22, 2022
and 30 more in the library