The effect of ten versus twenty minutes of mindfulness meditation on state mindfulness and affect.
Robert Palmer, Corey Roos, Nilofar Vafaie, Hedy Kober
Scientific Reports November 24, 2023 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46578-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 372 |
| Population | Adults recruited remotely via Amazon's MTurk platform |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Dose | 10-min or 20-min session |
| Duration | Single session |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 26 |
| Key findings | Both 10- and 20-minute single-session mindfulness meditations increased state mindfulness more than control conditions, with no significant difference between the two meditation doses. |
Abstract
We aimed to elucidate the effects of "dose" of a single-session of mindfulness meditation on state mindfulness and affect as well as moderators of effects. 372 adults recruited remotely via Amazon's MTurk platform were randomly assigned to either a: 10-min mindfulness meditation, 20-min mindfulness meditation, 10-min control, or 20-min control. Control conditions were recordings of a National Geographic article. Primary outcomes were changes in state mindfulness, anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Moderator variables included neuroticism, trait mindfulness, and prior meditation experience. Collapsing across doses, participants in mindfulness conditions reported greater increases in state mindfulness than in control conditions. There was a greater increase in state mindfulness in the 10-min mindfulness condition versus 10-min control condition. There were no differences between 10- and 20-min mindfulness conditions. Exploratory moderation analyses indicated that meditation (10 or 20) versus control (10 or 20) predicted increased state mindfulness among participants with lower trait mindfulness. Additionally, 20-min versus 10-min meditation predicted greater decreases in state anxiety among individuals with high trait mindfulness. Dose-response relationships were minimal, suggesting that 10 and 20 min of meditation may improve state mindfulness comparably. Findings support the benefits of brief mindfulness meditation and suggest that trait mindfulness moderates certain outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 20
- The relationship between neuroticism as a personality trait and mindfulness skills: a scoping review Frontiers in Psychology November 15, 2024
- Dose–response effects of reported meditation practice on mental‐health and wellbeing: A prospective longitudinal study Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being August 1, 2025
- Mindful breathing for cancer pain: efficacy of a single 20-minute session - a randomised controlled study. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care August 20, 2024
- A latent profile analysis of the Big Five personality and mindfulness traits in the general population Personality and Individual Differences May 26, 2025
- Intervention-induced changes in state mindfulness do not predict trait changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, or perceived stress. Scientific Reports November 21, 2025
and 15 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- The moderation of Mindfulness‐based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness: Results from a randomized controlled trial Journal of Clinical Psychology December 22, 2010
- Effects of Brief and Sham Mindfulness Meditation on Mood and Cardiovascular Variables The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine July 28, 2010
and 19 more in the library