The Effectiveness and Exploratory Cost-Effectiveness of Regular Meditation for Improving Quality of Life: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study.
Lillian Ofori Ward, Cate Bailey, Prai Wattanatakulchat, Benjamin Stone, Alexander Burger, Deanna M Kaplan, Santiago Jose Arconada Alvarez, Cullan Joyce, Ana Eclair, Nicholas T. van Dam, Julieta Galante
JMIR Research Protocols July 17, 2026 DOI: 10.2196/85110 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective longitudinal cohort study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 600 |
| Population | Beginner meditators in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom |
| Intervention | Meditation practice |
| Duration | 1-year period |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Adverse effects Cost effectiveness Costs Health economics Mental health Quality of life Secular Spiritual Well-being |
| Key findings | This is a protocol paper; no results are reported. The study aims to determine whether regular meditation practice improves quality of life and mental well-being, and whether effects vary between secular and spiritual practitioners, with results expected in January 2028. |
Abstract
In recent decades, millions of people globally have taken up Buddhist spiritual and secularized meditation practices, such as mindfulness, with the aim of improving their quality of life and well-being. Practitioners are recommended to continue meditating regularly for the long term; however, the effects of regular meditation practice after introductory instruction remain scientifically underexplored. This protocol aims to investigate whether regular meditation practice improves quality of life and mental well-being and whether its effects vary between secular and spiritual practitioners. We will also explore the cost-effectiveness of meditation in terms of quality of life and the incidence and functional impact of any adverse effects associated with the practice. We will conduct a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 600 beginner meditators in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom over a 1-year period. Meditation practice frequency and duration will be reported weekly through the ambulatory assessment app Fabla (Emory University), with sampling of the primary outcome of quality of life and secondary outcome of mental well-being at monthly intervals. Practice characteristics, including secular versus spiritual practice, will also be reported monthly, as will the costs of meditation and mental health care and the incidence, severity, and duration of any adverse effects. Potential confounders, including baseline mental health symptoms, social support, and sociodemographics, will be controlled for in linear mixed models. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio will be calculated, and sensitivity analyses will be conducted. Data collection began on October 28, 2025, after this study was first submitted on October 1, 2025. As of May 14, 2026, 341 participants have completed baseline measures. We expect results to be published in January 2028. Results of this investigation will illuminate the impact of meditation as it is currently practiced in natural contexts, and inform clinicians about whether and how regular meditation may be an effective tool for improving quality of life.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 36
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
and 31 more in the library