Does Mindfulness Meditation Improve Anxiety and Mood Symptoms? A Review of the Controlled Research
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1177/070674370705200409 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Clinical populations with medical and emotional disorders |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Citations | 316 |
| Key findings | MBSR does not have a reliable effect on depression and anxiety. |
Abstract
Objective: To review the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on symptoms of anxiety and depression in a range of clinical populations.
Method: Our review included any study that was published in a peer-reviewed journal, used a control group, and reported outcomes related to changes in depression and anxiety. We extracted the following key variables from each of the 15 studies identified: anxiety or depression outcomes after the MBSR program, measurement of compliance with MBSR instructions, type of control group included, type of clinical population studied, and length of follow-up. We also summarized modifications to the MBSR program.
Results: Measures of depression and anxiety were included as outcome variables for a broad range of medical and emotional disorders. Evidence for a beneficial effect of MBSR on depression and anxiety was equivocal. When active control groups were used, MBSR did not show an effect on depression and anxiety. Adherence to the MBSR program was infrequently assessed. Where it was assessed, the relation between practising mindfulness and changes in depression and anxiety was equivocal.
Conclusions: MBSR does not have a reliable effect on depression and anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on anxiety, 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 |
| Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Children and adolescents | 2018 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | n = 3,666 |
| Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies Patients with cancer- or illness-related anxiety and depression, major depressive... | 2020 | Systematic review | n = 188 |
| Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Patients from included clinical trials | 2016 | Systematic review | |
| Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review | 2022 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 91
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological Well-being and Quality of Life: Is Increased Mindfulness Indeed the Mechanism? Annals of Behavioral Medicine June 1, 2008
- Mindfulness‐based approaches: are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology January 19, 2011
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012
- Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2014
and 86 more in the library
Cites 15
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2004
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
and 10 more in the library