A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study of the Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation Mobile Application Platform on Reducing Stress and Anxiety

Practicing mindfulness meditation via a mobile application substantially reduces stress and anxiety. In a cross-sectional comparison of 111 meditators and 111 non-meditators, meditators showed significantly lower stress and anxiety scores. A subsequent longitudinal study of 67 users measured stress and anxiety before and after meditation practice, finding significant reductions in both stress and anxiety. The findings suggest that mindfulness meditation mobile applications can be an effective tool for addressing stress and anxiety, though further research is needed to understand the biological mechanisms.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction: The development of many lifestyle-related chronic disorders occurs as a result of stress and anxiety. In recent years, in order to overcome lifestyle-related problems, people are increasingly making use of mindfulness meditation mobile applications despite the fact that there is no substantial evidence that this practice has benefits for their health. Aim: Testing the effectiveness of this method in reducing stress and anxiety through the development of a mindfulness meditation mobile application was the aim of this project. Methodology: Two independent studies were conducted. For both the studies, IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 software was used to perform the statistical analysis. The first study was conducted cross-sectionally between 111 meditators and 111 non-meditators. The use of Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS) was employed in assessing the stress and anxiety. It was found out that stress (P < 0.000) and anxiety (P < 0.000) are significantly reduced for meditators in comparison with the non-meditators. A substantial reduction was observed using the cross-sectional study, and a longitudinal study was carried out to affirm the effectiveness of this method in reducing stress and anxiety. 67 users were shortlisted for the study and their stress and anxiety level was measured before and after practicing mindfulness meditation. Result: The result revealed that there was a substantial reduction in stress (P = 0.01) and anxiety (P = 0.02). Conclusion: Therefore, mindfulness meditation mobile application can serve as another medium of delivery in addressing the problems of stress and anxiety. However, future research is warranted to determine the biological effects of mindfulness meditation.