Mindfulness and Spiritual Intelligence: A Systematic Review
Aamer Aldbyani, Afnan Alhimaidi, Chunhong Shen, Jiaoyang Liu
Behavioral Psychology/Psicología Conductual July 28, 2026 DOI: 10.31083/bp51046 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Longitudinal Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | 16 studies across diverse cultural and occupational contexts |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | All 16 included studies reported a positive association between mindfulness and spiritual intelligence, with higher mindfulness linked to higher spiritual intelligence, though the strength varied. |
Abstract
Background:Mindfulness and spiritual intelligence have emerged as significant psychological constructs associated with adaptive functioning and mental well-being. Although a growing body of quantitative research has examined the relationship between these constructs, the existing literature remains fragmented across populations, cultural contexts, and measurement approaches. A systematic synthesis of this evidence is therefore warranted.Methods:This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was carried out across PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Google Scholar to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies published in the English language between January 2010 and December 2024. Studies published in early 2025 that were available online or indexed at the time of the search were also considered for inclusion. Eligible studies assessed both mindfulness and spiritual intelligence using validated psychometric instruments and reported quantitative statistical associations between the two constructs. Data extraction focused on study characteristics, sample features, measurement tools, and the direction and magnitude of reported associations. Given the heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures, findings were synthesized using a narrative approach.Results:16 studies met the inclusion criteria. The studies were conducted across diverse cultural and occupational contexts and predominantly employed cross-sectional or correlational designs. Across all included studies, mindfulness was positively associated with spiritual intelligence. Although the strength of the reported associations varied, the overall pattern of findings consistently indicated that higher levels of mindfulness were associated with higher levels of spiritual intelligence, regardless of population or measurement instrument.Conclusions:The available quantitative evidence indicates a consistent positive association between mindfulness and spiritual intelligence. However, significant heterogeneity in study designs, sample characteristics, and measurement tools limits direct comparability across studies. Future research would benefit from longitudinal and experimental designs, as well as greater standardization of measurement approaches, to clarify the nature and directionality of this association.
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 10
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- The Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory: Extensions, Applications, and Challenges at the Attention–Appraisal–Emotion Interface Psychological Inquiry October 2, 2015
- Target mechanisms of mindfulness-based programmes and practices: a scoping review. BMJ mental health August 24, 2024
and 5 more in the library