Measuring cognitive outcomes in mindfulness-based intervention research: a reflection on confounding factors and methodological limitations.

A review of three systematic reviews on mindfulness-based meditation and cognitive outcomes identifies methodological limitations and confounding factors that hinder interpretation of results. The analysis covers what is known about how mindfulness affects cognition, variable criteria defining mindfulness-based interventions, limitations of cognitive measurement tools, and methodological quality of trials. Constructive recommendations are offered for advancing research on mindfulness and cognition.

Study at a glance

Abstract

One potential pathway by which mindfulness-based meditation improves health outcomes is through changes in cognitive functioning. Here, we summarize and comment upon three systematic reviews conducted over the last seven years that have had the goal of identifying the impact of mindfulness on cognitive outcomes. In our analysis, we identified a number of methodological limitations and potential confounding factors that interfere with and limit our ability to interpret the results. In order to gain a granular view of the relationship between mindfulness training and cognition, we report on the following: 1) What do we know? How does mindfulness affect cognition? 2) variable criteria that define an MBI; 2) limitations of assays used to measure cognition; and 3) methodological quality of an MBI trial and reporting of findings. Finally, we offer constructive means for interpretation and recommendations for moving the field of mindfulness research forward regarding effects on cognition.