Meditation App Use May Decrease State Anxiety
Leslie Burton, Amanda Tatnall, Aedan Frumento
Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies January 29, 2026 DOI: 10.7358/ecps-2025-032-burt (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | Undergraduate students |
| Measures | State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | The meditation group had lower state anxiety after the 13-minute guided meditation than the control group after waiting. |
Abstract
Abstract The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between a meditation app and anxiety. The effect of a free 13 minute guided meditation exercise (Take a Break!) on State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores was evaluated in a normative sample of 75 undergraduate students. The only significant group difference was for state anxiety after intervention, such that the meditation group had lower state anxiety after meditation than the control group after waiting. This is an important finding because everyday life presents many challenges that increase anxiety, and having a tool that simply takes a 13 minute break is very valuable. Most people of all ages always have a cell phone with them which would make the this app very available in times of stress. This very brief intervention could be used in many settings, such as work, schools, sports, and home. Having a tool that has been validated empirically would give great credibility to suggesting it’s use in these settings.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Mindfulness on-the-go: Effects of a mindfulness meditation app on work stress and well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology May 3, 2018
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 24, 2018
- Mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions for anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Clinical Psychology September 2012