A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of Buddhist meditation intervention programs

A meta-analysis of 138 studies with 6,366 participants found that Buddhist meditation intervention programs have a small-to-medium positive effect on psychological health (overall effect size g = .250). MBSR/MBCT programs showed the largest effect (g = .766), followed by other mindfulness-based programs (g = .716) and yoga meditation (g = .726). Compassion meditation and counseling-therapy meditation did not reach statistical significance. Effects were most pronounced among children (g = 3.364) and adults (g = 1.360), and long-term programs exceeding 12 sessions showed the largest significant effect (g = .776). The programs enhanced self-compassion, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and problem-solving, while reducing depression, perceived stress, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study conducted a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of Buddhist meditation intervention programs on psychological health outcomes. A total of 138 studies published between 2024 and 2025, listed in KCI-indexed or KCI-candidate journals, involving 6,366 participants were analyzed. Effect sizes were computed using Hedges’ g under a random-effects model to account for high heterogeneity among studies. The overall effect size was g = .250 (95% CI: .040–.460, p < .05), indicating a small-to-medium positive effect. Heterogeneity was substantial (I² = 93.0%, Q = 1949.88, p < .001), and Egger’s test confirmed no significant publication bias (t = 1.886, p > .05). Subgroup analyses by intervention type revealed that MBSR/MBCT programs yielded the highest effect size (g = .766, p < .001), followed by other mindfulness-based programs (g = .716, p < .01) and yoga meditation (g = .726, p > .05). Compassion meditation (g = .115) and counseling-therapy meditation (g = .013) did not reach statistical significance. Regarding participant age groups, the effect was most pronounced among children (g = 3.364, p < .001) and adults (g = 1.360, p < .05), while adolescents and young adults showed non-significant positive trends. Analysis by program duration indicated that long-term programs exceeding 12 sessions demonstrated the largest and only statistically significant effect (g = .776, p < .05), suggesting that sustained practice is essential for meaningful psychological change. Outcome-specific analyses showed that Buddhist meditation programs were highly effective in enhancing positive psychological factors, including self-compassion (g = 1.641, p < .05), mindfulness (g = 1.132, p < .001), life satisfaction (g = .899, p < .001), and problem-solving competency (g = 1.100, p < .001). Significant reductions were also observed in negative psychological indicators such as depression (g = –.910, p < .01), perceived stress (g = –.774, p < .01), anxiety (g = –.727, p < .01), and emotion dysregulation (g = –.582, p < .05). These findings demonstrate that Buddhist meditation programs possess multidimensional therapeutic effects encompassing the cultivation of positive psychological assets, the alleviation of psychological distress, and the enhancement of practical life competencies. The results provide empirical evidence supporting Buddhist meditation as a viable complementary intervention for mental health promotion in the post-COVID era and offer practical implications for designing tailored programs in clinical and educational settings.