The effects of loving-kindness and compassion meditation on life satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Xiaodan Gu, Wenting Luo, Xinran Zhao, Yanyan Chen, Yuan Zheng, Jingyi Zhou, Xianglong Zeng, Luyi Yan, Yifei Chen, Xiuqing Zhang, Jing Lv, Yongqi Lang, Zilin Wang, Chenyu Gao, Yuanchen Jiang, Runze Li
Applied psychology. Health and well-being August 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12367 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractLoving-kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) appears promising for increasing life satisfaction, but evidence from rigorous studies is weak. A meta-analysis of 23 studies found that LKCM significantly improved life satisfaction in pre-post comparisons (15 studies, 451 participants), but this effect disappeared when only randomized controlled trials were analyzed (6 studies, 404 participants). LKCM outperformed waitlist conditions but was less effective than active control groups. Self-compassion and positive emotions may explain how LKCM works. Practice time was only indirectly linked to life satisfaction. More well-designed studies are needed to clarify whether LKCM changes actual life circumstances or people's perceptions of their lives.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Intervention | Loving-kindness and compassion meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Life satisfaction Loving-kindness Self-compassion |
| Key finding | LKCM significantly enhanced life satisfaction in pre-post designs but not in randomized controlled trials. |
Abstract
Loving-kindness and compassion meditation (LKCM) was a promising intervention for improving life satisfaction, but previous findings have been inconsistent. The current study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis, including 23 empirical studies on LKCM with life satisfaction as an outcome variable. The primary meta-analysis indicated that LKCM significantly enhanced life satisfaction in pre-post design (g = 0.312, k = 15, n = 451), but the significance disappeared in the additional meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials (g = 0.106, k = 6, n = 404). Moderator analyses found significant effects for type of control (i.e., the effects of LKCM were inferior to active control group, but superior to waitlist condition), but not for other moderators (i.e., participant type, previous meditation experience, specific protocol, components of LKCM, combination with mindfulness mediation, and intervention length). Narrative review identified self-compassion and positive emotions as important mediators. The practice time of LKCM had indirect but not direct association with life satisfaction. The findings supported that LKCM is promising in increasing life satisfaction, but more studies are needed to investigate the effects with more rigorous designs. Future studies should investigate other potential mechanisms and clarify whether LKCM change the reality or the perception of life.