Associations between mindfulness and mental health outcomes: A systematic review of ecological momentary assessment research
Matthew C. Enkema, Lauren M McClain, Elizabeth R Bird, M. Halvorson, Mary E. Larimer
Mindfulness July 15, 2020 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-020-01442-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Reviews of intensive longitudinal studies consistently show a positive association between mindfulness and mental health. EMA produced larger effect sizes than trait measurements in the two studies that compared them, supporting theorized mechanisms. |
Abstract
Psychological science has taken up investigations of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) and mechanisms through which people benefit from mindfulness. Reliable and valid psychometric tools are essential components of psychological science, and efforts have been made to produce tools for the accurate measurement of mindfulness as a construct. However, trait measurement methods, which are commonly used, may not adequately assess mindfulness and mental health outcomes in a way that allows for mechanisms to be adequately tested. Intensive longitudinal assessment methods sample behavior and experience multiple times over a brief period of several days or weeks and may be more appropriate methods for testing mechanisms of action. We provide a systematic review of published, peer-reviewed studies that used intensive longitudinal methods to investigate the effects of mindfulness on mental health outcomes. Articles were included in the systematic review if mindfulness measures and/or mindfulness interventions were a part of the study design and if intensive longitudinal methods were used to assess mindfulness or mental health outcomes. Findings consistently demonstrated a positive association between mindfulness and mental health. Only two studies collected both trait and state measurements of either mindfulness or mental health outcomes, and results indicated that EMA produced larger effect sizes between mindfulness and mental health outcomes. Theorized associations between mindfulness and mental health are supported by the current EMA literature. Intensive longitudinal methods may produce more consistent and reliable results through increased sensitivity and ecological validity in that they examine the momentary relationships between mindfulness and mental health outcomes. Thus, intensive longitudinal assessment may be a more appropriate method for investigating hypothesized mechanisms of action in MBPs.
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 35
- The application of virtual reality meditation and mind-body exercises among older adults. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
- Temporal dynamics and long-term effects of a mindfulness-based intervention for young adults with adverse childhood experiences. Mindfulness September 1, 2024
- Rumination and Self-Compassion Moderate Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Patients With Recurrent and Persistent Major Depressive Disorder: A Controlled Trial. Depression and Anxiety 2024
- The mechanism and effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention for reducing the psychological distress of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder: A protocol of randomized control trial of ecological momentary intervention and assessment. PLoS One 2023
- Changes in State Mindfulness are the Key to Success in Mindfulness Interventions: Ecological Momentary Assessments of Predictors, Mediators, and Outcomes in a Four-Week Koru Mindfulness Intervention. Psychological Reports November 16, 2023
and 30 more in the library
Cites 23
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- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
and 18 more in the library