Brief Mindfulness Intervention Improved Self-Reported Acceptance but Not Neural or Behavioral Reactivity to Errors.
Xiaoqian Yu, Geoffrey F. Potts
Clinical EEG and Neuroscience December 4, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/15500594251393583 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 121 |
| Population | Meditation-naïve adults aged 18-31 years, 69% female |
| Interventions | Guided mindful breathing Ted talk on green living |
| Dose | 10 min |
| Measures | Error-related negativity (ERN), error positivity (Pe), post-error slowing (PES) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | A 10-minute guided mindful breathing intervention increased self-reported acceptance relative to a control condition, but produced no corresponding changes in error-related negativity or post-error slowing. Both groups showed practice effects, with faster reaction times and larger error positivity amplitudes, suggesting brief mindfulness training may not be sufficient to alter neural or behavioral markers of affective error reactivity. |
Abstract
Acceptance, nonjudgmental awareness of the present-moment experiences, is a central component of mindfulness. This study used a pretest-posttest design to examine whether a brief mindfulness intervention (MI) could increase self-reported acceptance and reduce affective reactivity to errors, as indexed by error-related negativity (ERN), error positivity (Pe), and post-error slowing (PES). Meditation-naïve participants (n = 121, ages 18-31 years, 69% female) were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness group, which engaged in 10 min of guided mindful breathing, or a control group, which listened to a Ted talk on green living. Both groups completed a Flanker task before and after the intervention to elicit errors under time pressure. Results showed that participants in the mindfulness group reported greater acceptance following the intervention; however, no corresponding changes were observed in ERN or PES. Instead, both groups showed practice effects, with faster reaction times and larger Pe amplitudes reflecting increased response certainty. These findings suggest that while a brief MI may enhance subjective acceptance, it may not be sufficient to alter neural or behavioral markers of affective error reactivity. Longer or more intensive mindfulness training may be required to influence these deeper cognitive and emotional processes.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 24
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
- Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2007
and 19 more in the library