The Effect of a Dyadic Support Intervention on Mindfulness Home Practice Adherence: A Pilot and Feasibility Study
Charlotte Borgers, Johan C. Karremans, Anne E. M. Speckens
Mindfulness May 10, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-025-02589-6 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Pilot study Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Participants in an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention program |
| Duration | 8-week intervention period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Intervention counseling Psychotherapist Public health Clinical psychology Nursing |
| Key findings | Participants in the dyadic support condition maintained stable practice frequency, while controls declined significantly, suggesting buddy support may improve adherence. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives An important element of mindfulness-based interventions is daily at-home mindfulness practice. However, maintaining regular practice is a challenge for many participants. This study examined the influence of a dyadic support intervention—a “buddy intervention”—on adherence to mindfulness practice in terms of practice frequency and duration.
Method: In this quasi-experimental study, 40 participants (age M = 38.69, SD = 13.04) participating in an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) program were assigned to an intervention or control condition. From Session 3, intervention participants were paired with a buddy to support each other’s practice throughout the course.
Results: Participants in the dyadic support condition maintained a stable frequency of practice sessions per week across the intervention period, while those in the control condition showed a significant decline. This was reflected in a significant interaction between condition (dyadic support vs control) and time. Feedback from 17 participants indicated that most experienced the intervention as positive, though some reported challenges like fading contact and difficulty with texting. Contact frequency ranged from less than once a week to daily, with emotional support being the most common strategy.
Conclusions: This pilot study highlights the potential of a dyadic intervention to enhance adherence to mindfulness practice, offering a promising and easily implementable strategy for MBI program. Further larger-scale research using proper randomisation is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying these effects. Preregistration The study was preregistered using AsPredicted ( https://aspredicted.org/52xt-4ywk.pdf ; Aspredicted #168189).