Effectiveness of Daily Mindfulness Meditation App Usage to Reduce Anxiety and Improve Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Katie O'Donnell, Melanie Dunbar, Diana Speelman
Cureus July 1, 2023 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42432 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDuring the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, adults who used a meditation app for 10 minutes daily over 30 days showed reduced anxiety and improved well-being compared to a control group. Anxiety scores (GAD-7) decreased in the intervention group from a median of 5.5 to 3.0, while the control group showed no significant change. Well-being scores (WHO-5) improved in both groups, but the improvement was larger in the intervention group, rising from a mean of 12.0 to 16.3 versus 11.6 to 12.9 in controls. The findings suggest that brief daily meditation app use may help reduce anxiety and enhance well-being during stressful periods.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Adults during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Intervention | Insight Timer app |
| Dose | 10 minutes daily for 30 days |
| Duration | 30-day intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Covid-19 pandemic Well-being |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Ten minutes of daily meditation app usage for 30 days reduced anxiety and improved well-being in adults compared to a control group. |
Abstract
Introduction This study examined the effect of 10-minute daily meditation app usage for 30 days on adult anxiety and mental well-being during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Participants were randomized into intervention (10 minutes of daily usage of the Insight Timer app) or control groups. Participants completed surveys to assess anxiety and well-being pre- and post-study. Data were analyzed using t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), or nonparametric equivalents. Results Pre-study results were comparable between groups. The pre- vs. post-study General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores for anxiety decreased in the intervention group (n=18, median 5.5 vs. 3.0 (pre vs. post), p=0.0233, d=0.50), but not in the control group (n=28). The intervention group had a lower median GAD-7 score than the control group post-study (3.0 vs. 8.0, p=0.0223, d=0.35). Pre- vs. post-study mean 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) scores were improved in both the control (11.6 vs. 12.9 (pre vs. post), p=0.0408, d=0.36) and intervention groups (12.0 vs. 16.3 (pre vs. post), p=0.0001, d=0.77), although it was higher in the intervention group (16.3 vs. 12.9, p=0.0056, d=0.88). Conclusion Ten minutes of daily meditation app usage for 30 days may reduce anxiety and improve well-being in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.