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Testing How Mindfulness Skills Change for Novice Meditators Using Headspace: Examining Trait Mindfulness and Perceived Stress as Moderators

M. A. Peña, Matthew J. Zawadzki, Larisa Gavrilova, Martin S. Hagger

Stress and Health September 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/smi.70215 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized waitlist-controlled trial Peer reviewed
Population Non-faculty university employees new to mindfulness meditation
Duration 8-week intervention with assessments at baseline, 2, 5, and 8 weeks post-randomisation
Measures Ecological momentary assessment surveys for attention and acceptance
Topics Meditation
Key findings Headspace significantly increased attention and acceptance by Week 8 compared to baseline, with changes evident by Week 2. Lower trait mindfulness predicted greater attention gains, and lower perceived stress predicted greater gains in both skills.

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions are found to effectively reduce stress and improve mental health outcomes. Yet, it is not always clear how the mindfulness skills of attention and acceptance develop throughout the intervention. This knowledge gap is especially pertinent for novice meditators learning these skills for the first time, including whether some individuals are more prone to learning them. Using a randomized waitlist-controlled trial, we tested the effect of the app Headspace on changes in attention and acceptance over 8 weeks among participants new to mindfulness meditation. Further, we tested the moderating effects of trait mindfulness and perceived stress. Non-faculty university employees were randomized to a Headspace or waitlist control condition. Trait mindfulness and perceived stress were measured at baseline. Ecological momentary assessment survey data for attention and acceptance were collected five times a day in 4-day bursts at baseline and 2, 5, and 8 weeks post-randomisation. Attention and acceptance were significantly higher at Week 8 compared to baseline for the Headspace group, but not the control group. For the Headspace group, both skills showed significant change by Week 2. Trait mindfulness moderated this effect with those who were lower in trait mindfulness displaying greater increases in attention, but not acceptance. Perceived stress also moderated this effect with those who were lower in perceived stress displaying greater increases in attention and acceptance. Our discussion draws attention to implications for matching intervention content to individual needs to ensure participants reporting different levels of characteristics benefit from mindfulness training.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment 2003 Randomized controlled trial n = 41
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults 2008 Randomized controlled trial n = 139
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students 2007 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

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