Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Apps in Mitigating Psychological Distress Among Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Jou-Ting Lin, Jia-Yin Syu, Esther Ching‐Lan Lin
Mindfulness June 19, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-02898-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Youth without diagnosed mental disorders |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological distress Public health Mental health Medline Clinical psychology Psychotherapist Psychological intervention Applied psychology Psychological health Psychological well-being |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based apps produced small to moderate reductions in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress among youth without diagnosed mental disorders, with sustained effects for depression and anxiety over short- to mid-term follow-ups. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based apps are increasingly used as accessible tools to support mental health among youth. The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of such apps on psychological distress among youth without diagnosed mental disorders. This study followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and retrieved RCTs published in English through December 2025 from six electronic databases. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan Web. Nineteen RCTs were included in the systematic review, and thirteen were included in the meta-analysis. The participants were assigned to either a mindfulness-based app or a control group. Pooled analysis results revealed small to moderate reductions in depression (SMD = − 0.26, 95% CI [− 0.41, − 0.12], z = 3.67, p = 0.0002), anxiety (SMD = − 0.19, 95% CI [− 0.31, − 0.08], z = 3.42, p = 0.0006), and perceived stress (SMD = − 0.36, 95% CI [− 0.55, − 0.18], z = 3.88, p = 0.0001), with sustained effects observed for depression and anxiety over short- to mid-term follow-ups. Exploratory subgroup analyses further indicated that unstructured app formats and passive control conditions were associated with larger effect sizes for depression and perceived stress. Apps with feedback features revealed larger effects on depression than those without. No significant subgroup differences were observed for app program type or intervention duration. Mindfulness-based apps may represent a promising early intervention approach to mitigate depression, anxiety, and perceived stress among youth without diagnosed mental disorders. More evidence supported their effects on specific negative symptoms than on broader mental health indicators, with short-term persistence observed for depression and anxiety. These findings suggest the potential of mindfulness-based apps as low-intensity, low-barrier tools for addressing common psychological symptoms among vulnerable youth. This study was preregistered with PROSPERO (CRD42024585205).
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 27
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- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
and 22 more in the library