Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies

Mindfulness, both as a psychological construct and a clinical intervention, has drawn considerable research interest. This review examines three empirical areas: cross-sectional studies linking mindfulness to psychological health, intervention research on mindfulness-oriented programs, and laboratory experiments on immediate effects of mindfulness inductions. The evidence indicates that mindfulness is associated with increased subjective well-being, reduced psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity, and improved behavioral regulation. The authors discuss mechanisms of change and suggest directions for future research, concluding that mindfulness brings about various positive psychological effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Within the past few decades, there has been a surge of interest in the investigation of mindfulness as a psychological construct and as a form of clinical intervention. This article reviews the empirical literature on the effects of mindfulness on psychological health. We begin with a discussion of the construct of mindfulness, differences between Buddhist and Western psychological conceptualizations of mindfulness, and how mindfulness has been integrated into Western medicine and psychology, before reviewing three areas of empirical research: cross-sectional, correlational research on the associations between mindfulness and various indicators of psychological health; intervention research on the effects of mindfulness-oriented interventions on psychological health; and laboratory-based, experimental research on the immediate effects of mindfulness inductions on emotional and behavioral functioning. We conclude that mindfulness brings about various positive psychological effects, including increased subjective well-being, reduced psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity, and improved behavioral regulation. The review ends with a discussion on mechanisms of change of mindfulness interventions and suggested directions for future research.