Psychological Outcomes and Mechanisms of Mindfulness-Based Training for Generalised Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Monique Williams, Cynthia Honan, Sarah Skromanis, Ben Sanderson, Allison J Matthews
Current Psychology May 11, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04695-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 334 |
| Population | Adults diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8-week manualised program |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Anxiety disorders Attention |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training had a large effect on anxiety symptoms compared to inactive or non-specified controls, but not compared to active controls. |
Abstract
This systematic review aimed to identify 1) the effect of mindfulness training on pre-post measures of anxiety and attention among adults experiencing high levels of generalised anxiety; and 2) the impact of predictors, mediators and moderators on post-intervention changes in anxiety or attention. Trait mindfulness and distress measures were included as secondary outcomes. A systematic search was conducted in November 2021 in electronic databases using relevant search terms. Eight articles comprising four independent studies were included (N = 334). All studies included participants diagnosed with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) who participated in an 8-week manualised program. The meta-analysis indicated that mindfulness training had a large effect on anxiety symptoms (g = -1.92, 95%CI[-3.44, -0.40]) when compared to inactive (i.e., care as usual, waitlist) or non-specified (i.e., condition not defined) controls. However, a significant effect was not found when compared to active controls. Effects for depression, worry and trait mindfulness did not reach statistical significance, despite small-large effect sizes favouring mindfulness compared to inactive/non-specified controls. Our narrative review found evidence that changes in aspects of trait mindfulness mediate anxiety reduction following mindfulness training. However, a small number of studies were available for inclusion in the review, with high risk of bias and low certainty of evidence present. Overall, the findings support the use of mindfulness training programs for GAD and indicate mechanisms that may differ from those involved in other cognitive therapy approaches. Further RCTs with evidence-based controls are needed to clarify techniques most beneficial for generalised anxiety to support individually tailored treatment. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-023-04695-x.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Psychological and attentional outcomes following acute mindfulness induction among high anxiety individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research February 1, 2024
- Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effects on EEG and Executive Functions: A Systematic Review. Brain Sciences March 20, 2025
- Compassion Meditation for Distressed Older Veterans: A Feasibility Study. Clinical Gerontologist 2025
- Efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in mitigating depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among institutionalized patients with major depressive disorder: findings from a randomized controlled trial. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience June 12, 2026
- Mindfulness-based intervention for patients with generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 23
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Neural mechanisms of symptom improvements in generalized anxiety disorder following mindfulness training NeuroImage: Clinical 2013
- Internal and external attention and the default mode network Neuroimage January 18, 2017
- Mediators of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review April 1, 2022
and 18 more in the library