A Review of Meditation-Related Meta-Analytic Studies in Korea

A systematic review of 15 Korean meta-analyses on meditation published between 2010 and 2024 identified four main research streams: psychological effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy, program effectiveness for specific populations (adolescents, female college students, older adults), symptom-focused studies (depression, anxiety, stress, pain), and comparisons across meditation types (MBSR, MBCT, ACT). Meditation programs showed moderate to large effect sizes (g = 0.70–1.13), with consistent reductions in anxiety and stress. Methodological limitations included few randomized controlled trials, insufficient follow-up, and lack of standardized measures. Future research should include long-term follow-ups, comparisons across meditation types, neurological mechanisms, and digital programs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study aims to systematically analyze and review meta-analytic studies on meditation published in Korea between 2010 and 2024. Using multiple academic databases (RISS, KISS, DBpia, and KCI), a final set of 15 core meta-analytic papers was selected for analysis. The findings indicate that domestic meditation meta-analyses can be categorized into four major streams: first, studies examining the psychological effects of Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBT); second, program effectiveness studies targeting specific populations such as adolescents, female college students, and older adults; third, studies focused on specific symptom domains including depression, anxiety, stress, and pain; and fourth, comparative effectiveness studies across different meditation types, including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Overall, meditation programs demonstrated moderate to large effect sizes (g = 0.70–1.13), with particularly consistent findings for reductions in anxiety and stress. Nevertheless, several methodological limitations were repeatedly identified, including a low proportion of randomized controlled trials, insufficient follow-up assessments, and a lack of standardized measurement instruments. Future research should prioritize the expansion of long-term follow-up studies, comparative analyses across meditation modalities, exploration of neurological mechanisms, and empirical evaluation of digital meditation programs.