Loving‐Kindness Meditation and Empathy: A Wellness Group Intervention for Counseling Students
Journal of Counseling & Development June 9, 2016 DOI: 10.1002/jcad.12086 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 103 |
| Population | Master's-level counseling students |
| Duration | 6-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 73 |
| Key findings | Loving-kindness meditation led to gains in empathy, and more meditation time correlated with improved perspective taking. |
Abstract
The effect of a 6‐week loving‐kindness meditation (LKM) on the multidimensional empathy of 103 master's‐level counseling students was evaluated, in addition to the correlation between reported levels of time spent meditating and empathy. Statistical analyses indicated that participants who received the LKM intervention experienced gains in dimensions of empathy. A significant relationship between quantity of meditation and perspective taking was noted. Implications and suggestions for future research are explored.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Effects of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Doctors’ Mindfulness, Empathy, and Communication Skills International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health April 12, 2021
- Comparing state anxiety and mindfulness between mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation whilst controlling for the effect of altruism and boredom Current Issues in Personality Psychology May 29, 2019
- Centering and counselor empathy: Examining the moderating effects of nondual awareness Journal of Counseling & Development June 17, 2024
- Practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation to Promote Mental Wellness: A Qualitative Study of Doctoral Students' Experience International journal of doctoral studies 2025
- Lovingkindness meditation: effects on teacher burnout, emotion regulation, and teacher-student interaction quality 2023
and 6 more in the library
Cites 12
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Teaching self-care to caregivers: Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the mental health of therapists in training. Training and Education in Professional Psychology May 1, 2007
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
and 7 more in the library