Modulating affective experience and emotional intelligence with loving kindness meditation and transcranial direct current stimulation: A pilot study.
Charles Robinson, Mika Armenta, Angela Combs, Melanie L Lamphere, Gabrielle J Garza, James Neary, Janet H Wolfe, Edward Molina, Dominick E Semey, Christina M McKee, Stevi J Gallegos, Aaron P Jones, Michael C Trumbo, Hussein Al-Azzawi, Michael A Hunter, Gregory Lieberman, Brian A Coffman, Mohamed Aboseria, Marom Bikson, Vincent P Clark, Katie Witkiewitz
Social Neuroscience February 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2017.1397054 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 87 |
| Population | Undergraduates |
| Interventions | Loving kindness meditation Transcranial direct current stimulation |
| Dose | 0.1 or 2.0 milliamps |
| Duration | 30 minutes |
| Measures | International Affective Picture System, Mayer, Salovey and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Loving kindness meditation Affective experience Emotional intelligence Positive affect |
| Key findings | Loving kindness meditation combined with right temporoparietal junction tDCS led to more positive ratings of neutral and positive images, but no effects on emotional intelligence were observed. |
Abstract
Positive emotional perceptions and healthy emotional intelligence (EI) are important for social functioning. In this study, we investigated whether loving kindness meditation (LKM) combined with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would facilitate improvements in EI and changes in affective experience of visual stimuli. LKM has been shown to increase positive emotional experiences and we hypothesized that tDCS could enhance these effects. Eighty-seven undergraduates were randomly assigned to 30 minutes of LKM or a relaxation control recording with anodal tDCS applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (left dlPFC) or right temporoparietal junction (right TPJ) at 0.1 or 2.0 milliamps. The primary outcomes were self-reported affect ratings of images from the International Affective Picture System and EI as measured by the Mayer, Salovey and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test. Results indicated no effects of training on EI, and no main effects of LKM, electrode placement, or tDCS current strength on affect ratings. There was a significant interaction of electrode placement by meditation condition (p = 0.001), such that those assigned to LKM and right TPJ tDCS, regardless of current strength, rated neutral and positive images more positively after training. Results suggest that LKM may enhance positive affective experience.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Effects of Synergism of Mindfulness Practice Associated With Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation in Chronic Migraine: Pilot, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial Frontiers in Human Neuroscience December 8, 2021
- Using Electroencephalography to Advance Mindfulness Science: A Survey of Emerging Methods and Approaches. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025
- Enhancing Equanimity With Noninvasive Brain Stimulation: A Novel Framework for Mindfulness Interventions. Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging April 1, 2025
- Assessing the effect of Loving-Kindness Meditation on pain and social well-being using a randomized controlled trial design. PLoS One September 16, 2026
- Stimulated brains and meditative minds: A systematic review on combining low intensity transcranial electrical stimulation and meditation in humans. International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP February 3, 2023
and 2 more in the library
Cites 10
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
- Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. Emotion October 1, 2008
- Compassion meditation enhances empathic accuracy and related neural activity Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience September 5, 2012
- Phenomenological Fingerprints of Four Meditations: Differential State Changes in Affect, Mind-Wandering, Meta-Cognition, and Interoception Before and After Daily Practice Across 9 Months of Training Mindfulness August 18, 2016
and 5 more in the library