Developing meditation practice in individuals with elevated psychological distress via a meditation app intervention: An implementation science-informed qualitative investigation of barriers and facilitators.
Rachel L. Dyer, Katherine M Zimmerman, Xinxuyang Zhao, Qiang Xie, Cortland J. Dahl, Andrew Quanbeck, Simon B. Goldberg
Psychological Services July 10, 2025 DOI: 10.1037/ser0000980 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 20 |
| Population | American adults with elevated depressive and/or anxiety symptoms participating in a meditation dosage clinical trial |
| Intervention | Healthy Minds Program meditation app |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Meditation apps Mindfulness apps Digital meditation App-based meditation Mental well-being Psychological well-being Emotional health Stress reduction Anxiety relief User engagement Adherence Consistency Routine building Habit formation Retention Stickiness Psychological distress Mental health challenges Emotional distress |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, four categories emerged: practical facilitators, motivations, barriers, and recommendations; overall, participants reported positive outcomes that motivated continued app use for some. |
Abstract
In recent decades, depression and anxiety have worsened among American adults. Meditation apps may provide an accessible route for reducing these symptoms. However, many users experience barriers to persisting in their use of these apps. Prior research has identified psychosocial and practical barriers and facilitators to the use of meditation apps, as well as barriers and facilitators related to the apps themselves. Yet few prior studies have drawn on frameworks from the highly relevant field of implementation science, such as the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. A lack of unifying implementation science frameworks has limited shared language to describe barriers and facilitators and has made it challenging to identify and account for multilevel factors impacting the implementation of meditation apps. As such, this study used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to explore the implementation of the Healthy Minds Program meditation app among users experiencing elevated depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. Participants (n = 20) were drawn from a meditation dosage clinical trial and interviewed about their experiences establishing a meditation practice using the Healthy Minds Program app. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and deductive qualitative content analysis, four categories were generated: practical facilitators to developing a meditation practice, motivations for developing and maintaining a meditation practice, barriers to developing a meditation practice, and recommendations for improving the app. Overall, participants reported positive outcomes from their practice, which, for some, motivated their continued use of the Healthy Minds Program app. Future research should consider how barriers and facilitators may change over time with increased engagement and experience with meditation apps and practice. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.