Individual differences in meditation interventions: A meta‐analytic study
I. Burić, M. Farias, J. Driessen, I. Brazil
British Journal of Health Psychology February 27, 2022 DOI: 10.1111/bjhp.12589 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractMeditation interventions affect people differently depending on their personal characteristics. Analyzing 51 studies with 7,782 participants, higher baseline levels of psychopathology or depression were associated with worsening mental health after meditation. In contrast, participants with stronger interpersonal skills, motivation, medical conditions, or mindfulness tended to experience greater benefits. Higher well-being and stress were linked to both increased positive and negative outcomes. Demographics, psychological traits, self-concept, and prior meditation practice length did not significantly influence results. These findings highlight individual factors that should be considered when using meditation interventions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7,782 |
| Population | Participants in meditation intervention studies |
| Intervention | meditation |
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Key finding | Baseline participant characteristics such as psychopathology, depression, interpersonal variables, motivation, medical conditions, and mindfulness significantly influence meditation outcomes, while demographics, psychological traits, self-concept, and practice length do not. |
Abstract
Objectives Meditation interventions typically show small to moderate effects on health and well‐being, but we know little about how these effects vary across individuals. This meta‐analytic study investigates the relationship between baseline participant characteristics and the outcomes of meditation. Methods A systematic search yielded 51 eligible studies with 7782 participants. A combination of subgroup analyses and meta‐regression based on the random‐effects model were used. Results We found that a higher baseline level of psychopathology or depression was associated with deterioration in mental health after a meditation intervention. On the other hand, participants with higher scores on interpersonal variables, motivation, medical conditions, and mindfulness showed higher levels of positive meditation outcomes. Higher well‐being and stress were simultaneously associated with moderate increases in negative and positive meditation outcomes. Participant demographics, psychological traits, self‐concept, and length of meditation practice did not significantly influence the response to meditation. Conclusions Overall, we found that meditation interventions affect participants differently, and identified some of the individual characteristics that should be considered when using meditation interventions.