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Effects of mindfulness meditation on attention processes in people with aphasia.

Britta Biedermann, Rosemary Croasdale, Anne Whitworth, Peter Sedlmeier, Sianne Bailey, Neville Hennessey

International journal of speech-language pathology May 9, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2026.2661347 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed
Sample size 5
Population People with chronic post-stroke aphasia with anomia, good comprehension, and no meditation experience
Intervention meditation training
Duration 9-week meditation training
Topics Meditation
Keywords Anomia Aphasia Attention Meditation training Mindfulness meditation
Key points Four of five participants with chronic aphasia showed gains on at least one measure of non-verbal attention following 9 weeks of meditation training, while verbal-language skills improved in only one participant.

Abstract

People with post-stroke aphasia show verbal-language difficulties and verbal working memory problems, but can also present with attention-related deficits. Meditation can positively impact attention in healthy meditators; however, few studies have investigated effects of meditation on different attention processes in people with aphasia. The aim of this study was to explore whether an intensive meditation training could enhance attention processes in people with aphasia, while also testing for potential generalisation to verbal language processes. Five people with chronic aphasia with anomia, good comprehension, and no meditation experience, joined a 9-week meditation training. Repeated pre- and post-training measures of attention and verbal language were collected, as well as repeated ratings of perceived impact on participants' attentional focus, everyday attention and word finding abilities. Prior to training, participants showed deficits in at least one visual and/or auditory attention task in addition to word retrieval and verbal working memory deficits. Four participants showed gains on at least one measure of non-verbal attention following meditation training. No gains in verbal-language skills were observed except for one participant. Visual and auditory attention can be enhanced independently of verbal-language skills in people with aphasia when engaging in regular meditation practice.

Comparable studies

Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients 2003 Pre-post intervention study n = 59
Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample 2010 Pre-post intervention study
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students 2003 Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study n = 302
Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls 2011 Controlled trial with wait-list control group n = 60
The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents 2011 Within-group waitlist controlled trial n = 22

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