A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation in Prison
Katherine M. Auty, Aiden Cope, Alison Liebling
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology August 28, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/0306624x15602514 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Prisoners |
| Interventions | yoga meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Prison Meta-analysis Psychotherapist Mindfulness meditation Clinical psychology Criminology |
| Citations | 194 |
| Key findings | Yoga and meditation programs in prison are associated with small improvements in prisoners' psychological well-being and behavioral functioning. |
Abstract
This article presents results from a systematic review and two meta-analyses that examine whether prison yoga and meditation programs are significantly related to increased psychological well-being and improvements in the behavioural functioning of prisoners. Comprehensive searches of the empirical literature were conducted up to December 2014. Participants who completed yoga or meditation program in prison experienced a small increase in their psychological well-being (Cohen's d = 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.39, 0.54]) and a small improvement in their behavioural functioning (Cohen's d = 0.30, 95% CI = [0.20, 0.40]). Moderator analyses suggested that there was a significant difference in effect sizes for programs of longer duration and less intensity, compared with those that were shorter and more intensive, for psychological well-being. Programs of longer duration had a slightly larger positive effect on behavioural functioning ( d = 0.424), compared with more intensive programs ( d = 0.418). Overall, the evidence suggests that yoga and meditation have favourable effects on prisoners.
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 24
- Efficacy of mHealth aided 12-week meditation and breath intervention on change in burnout and professional quality of life among health care providers of a tertiary care hospital in north India: a randomized waitlist-controlled trial. Frontiers in Public Health 2023
- The Contribution of Yoga to the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration of Incarcerated Individuals: A Systematic Review. Healthcare December 27, 2025
- Protocol for a cluster-randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression, implemented in Vietnamese Buddhist pagoda. BMC Psychology May 20, 2025
- Pranayama: Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science for Holistic Well-Being Contemporaneity of English Language and Literature in the Robotized Millennium June 20, 2026
- Mind–Body Medicine Training for Incarcerated Men and Women Healthcare March 16, 2026
and 19 more in the library
Cites 13
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors August 28, 2006
- Clinical Trials of Meditation Practices in Health Care: Characteristics and Quality The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine December 1, 2008
- Mindfulness-Based Substance Abuse Treatment for Incarcerated Youth: A Mixed Method Pilot Study International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 2011
- Transformative Life Skills: Pilot Study of a Yoga Model for Reduced Stress and Improving Self-Control in Vulnerable Youth International Journal of Yoga Therapy 2010
and 8 more in the library