Barriers and Facilitators to Meditation: Empirical Research Qualitative
Angela Cheng, Xanthe Lea, Alice Shires
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine June 23, 2025 DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2502026 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative thematic analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 191 |
| Population | Participants from MeditationHQ, which offers weekly group meditation sessions on beaches around Australia, who joined the OMM: One Million Meditations Challenge and the University Meditation Challenge |
| Duration | One month |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Qualitative research Empirical research Psychotherapist Epistemology Anthropology |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Most participants did not report significant barriers to meditation; for those who did, practical challenges and mental health related challenges were most common, while facilitators included manageable goal setting and mindset changes. |
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the barriers and facilitators to meditation in the general population. This research is significant because understanding these factors can inform the design of more effective public mental health interventions and support the integration of meditation into daily life. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative component of wider survey responses. Participants were recruited from MeditationHQ, which offers weekly group meditation sessions on beaches around Australia. Participants were invited to join the OMM: One Million Meditations Challenge and the University Meditation Challenge to meditate regularly over a month. Data was obtained from the completion of surveys before and after the challenge to capture their meditation experiences. Data analysis of open-ended questions followed Braun and Clarke's Thematic Analysis framework, involving familiarisation with the data, coding responses, generating themes, defining themes, and presenting findings. Findings were validated with a second researcher. In total 191 participants completed the survey. Most participants did not report significant barriers to meditation. For those who did, practical challenges (e.g., scheduling difficulties) and mental health related challenges (e.g., busy mind, stress, and anxiety) were the most common. Key facilitators included manageable goal setting (e.g., engaging in short and regular practice) and mindset changes (e.g., better understanding of meditation goals). Meditation is a promising intervention that can be integrated into public health strategies to support mental health. This study offers practical insights into its implementation by identifying key barriers and facilitators. Practical implications include informing meditation toolkits that can educate and encourage the public to start a regular meditation routine, by encouraging brief and consistent practice and clarifying misconceptions about the goals of meditation. Limitations include a participant population that was predominantly female with prior meditation experience, which may reduce the generalisability of the findings. Future studies should target more diverse participants and consider the long-term outcomes of engaging with the strategies identified in this study. This manuscript adheres to the standards for reporting qualitative research. The findings from this study can inform the development of public health education tools aimed at encouraging regular meditation practice among the general population.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 24
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Brief mindfulness training for negative affectivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 25, 2018
and 19 more in the library