Divergent effects of brief contemplative practices in response to an acute stressor: A randomized controlled trial of brief breath awareness, loving-kindness, gratitude or an attention control practice
Matthew J. Hirshberg, Simon B. Goldberg, S. Schaefer, Lisa Flook, David Findley, Richard J. Davidson
PLoS One December 12, 2018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207765 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 156 |
| Population | Undergraduates |
| Interventions | Breath awareness Loving-kindness Gratitude |
| Duration | Brief practice session followed by cold pressor test |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 33 |
| Key findings | Gratitude training increased positive affect but also heightened stress reactivity and reduced prosocial behavior, while loving-kindness reduced implicit negative affect, indicating that different brief contemplative practices produce specific and sometimes opposing effects. |
Abstract
Mindfulness practices are increasingly being utilized as a method for cultivating well-being. The term mindfulness is often used as an umbrella for a variety of different practices and many mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) contain multiple styles of practice. Despite the diversity of practices within MBIs, few studies have investigated whether constituent practices produce specific effects. We randomized 156 undergraduates to one of four brief practices: breath awareness, loving-kindness, gratitude, or to an attention control condition. We assessed practice effects on affect following brief training, and effects on affect and behavior after provocation with a stressor (i.e., Cold pressor test). Results indicate that gratitude training significantly improved positive affect compared to breath awareness (d = 0.58) and loving-kindness led to significantly greater reductions in implicit negative affect compared to the control condition (d = 0.59) immediately after brief practice. In spite of gains in positive affect, the gratitude group demonstrated increased reactivity to the stressor, reporting the CPT as significantly more aversive than the control condition (d = 0.46) and showing significantly greater increases in negative affect compared to the breath awareness, loving-kindness, and control groups (ds = 0.55, 0.60, 0.65, respectively). Greater gains in implicit positive affect following gratitude training predicted decreased post-stressor likability ratings of novel neutral faces compared to breath awareness, loving-kindness, and control groups (ds = - 0.39, -0.40, -0.33, respectively) as well. Moreover, the gratitude group was significantly less likely to donate time than the loving-kindness group in an ecologically valid opportunity to provide unrewarded support. These data suggest that different styles of contemplative practice may produce different effects in the context of brief, introductory practice and these differences may be heightened by stress. Implications for the study of contemplative practices are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Effect of a single session of yoga and meditation on stress reactivity: A systematic review. Stress and Health June 1, 2024
- Mindfulness and Nondual Well-Being – What is the Evidence that We Can Stay Happy? Review of General Psychology June 1, 2023
- Psychological Mediators of Reduced Distress: Preregistered Analyses from a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-Based Well-Being Training. Clinical Psychological Science 2025
- Brief breath awareness training yields poorer working memory performance in the context of acute stress Cognition & Emotion January 29, 2021
- Personalized prediction of response to three meditation practices: A randomized controlled trial Behaviour Research and Therapy August 10, 2026
and 9 more in the library
Cites 13
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. Emotion October 1, 2008
and 8 more in the library