Meditation-based mind-body therapies for negative symptoms of schizophrenia: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis.
Michel Sabé, Othman Sentissi, Stefan Kaiser
Schizophrenia Research October 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.07.030 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,081 |
| Population | Patients with schizophrenia |
| Interventions | Yoga Tai-chi Qi-gong Mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mind-body therapies produced a small beneficial effect on negative symptoms at endpoint compared to controls, with significant effects for mindfulness and yoga subgroups, but high heterogeneity. No increase in positive symptoms was found. Evidence is limited and does not yet support clinical recommendation. |
Abstract
Meditation-based mind-body therapies (yoga, tai-chi, qi-gong, mindfulness) have been suggested to have a potential therapeutic effect on negative symptoms. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining effectiveness of yoga, tai-chi, qi-gong and mindfulness on negative symptoms of schizophrenia, using different databases and trial registries. The primary outcome was effect of mind-body therapies on negative symptoms and the secondary outcome was effect on positive symptoms. Fifteen RCTs were included in the meta-analysis (N = 1081 patients). Overall, we found a beneficial effect of mind-body interventions on negative symptoms at endpoint compared to treatment-as-usual or non-specific control interventions, but the effect was small and moderate to high heterogeneity was present. A subgroup analysis for different types of therapy revealed a significant effect of mindfulness-based and yoga interventions on negative symptoms, but heterogeneity within the yoga subgroup was high. Our results did not show an increase of positive symptoms (N = 1051). Our results suggest a potential for meditation-based mind-body therapies in the treatment of negative symptoms, in particular for mindfulness based approaches and to a lesser extent yoga. Limitations in the available comparisons do not allow concluding on a specific effect of these interventions. Overall, the currently available evidence remains limited and does not yet allow one to recommend mind-body therapies for the reduction of negative symptoms. However, the present findings justify further research on mind-body therapies for the treatment of negative symptoms.
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
Cited by 11
- Mindfulness for psychosis: Current evidence, unanswered questions and future directions Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice June 30, 2023
- The Effect of Meditation-Based Mind-Body Interventions on Older Adults with Poor Sleep Quality: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2025
- Half a Century of Research for Mind–Body Interventions: A Scientometric Analysis Mindfulness May 17, 2025
- Eight-month intensive meditation-based intervention improves refractory hallucinations and delusions and quality of life in male inpatients with schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences April 1, 2024
- Effects of mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic meta-review. Schizophrenia Research July 1, 2025
and 6 more in the library
Cites 6
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- An international multi-site, randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based psychoeducation group programme for people with schizophrenia Psychological Medicine April 4, 2017
- Impact of Mindfulness-Based Teacher Training on MBSR Participant Well-Being Outcomes and Course Satisfaction Mindfulness June 6, 2017
and 1 more in the library