Meta-Analysis of Meditation Outcomes in Counseling and Psychtherapy

Meditation encompasses techniques that involve consciously focusing attention in a non-analytic way, aiming for a state of heightened, choice-less awareness. This meta-analysis reviewed professional literature to gauge meditation's effectiveness. It used statistical meta-analysis to provide an overall measure of effectiveness and the voting method to classify findings. The work summarizes major findings to guide future research and practice in counseling and psychotherapy, highlighting meditation's potential as a therapeutic tool.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Meditation includes a variety of techniques that share a common conscious effort to focus attention in a non-analytic way. In terms of its goals, meditation is a state of completely focused attention devoid of external thoughts--a state of heightened choice-less awareness. This study was designed to: (1) Identify and critically review professional literature on the effectiveness of meditation; (2) Provide an overall measure of effectiveness through the statistical meta-analysis technique; (3) Provide a classification of findings through the voting method; and (4) summarize and integrate highlights and major findings for the purpose of generating implications for future research and practice in counseling and psychotherapy.