A Systematic Review of the Impact of Select Mindfulness Interventions on Psychological Outcomes among Older Adults with Chronic Health Conditions.
Jay Kayser, Rita Xiaochen Hu, Danielle Rosenscruggs, Lydia Li, Xiaoling Xiang
Clinical Gerontologist 2023 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2076636 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults aged 60 years and older with chronic health conditions |
| Interventions | Acceptance and commitment therapy mindfulness-based cognitive therapy mindfulness-based stress reduction |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness intervention Chronic health conditions Functional impairment Older adults |
| Key findings | The authors report that early evidence for mindfulness interventions improving psychological outcomes in older adults with chronic health conditions is promising, but the 17 included studies generally lack methodological rigor and have a high risk of bias, so more randomized controlled trials are needed. They advise practitioners to be guardedly optimistic about these interventions. |
Abstract
Chronic medical conditions can increase the likelihood of experiencing psychological distress and mental health problems among older adults. Mindfulness interventions (MIs) are evidence-based treatment approaches that can improve psychological outcomes. This systematic literature review examines MI studies that focused on older adults (≥60 years old) with chronic health conditions. Five databases were systematically searched for intervention studies that involved older adults with chronic health conditions who received acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based stress reduction and that included psychological outcomes. A total of 17 studies were identified that met criteria for inclusion. These studies involved interventions for a range of chronic health conditions including chronic pain, stroke, type 2 diabetes, insomnia, cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Early evidence for MIs impact on psychological outcomes is promising, though more work involving randomized control trials is needed. Current studies generally lack methodological rigor and have a high risk of bias. Given the high rates of chronic pain in older adults and the emerging evidence for MIs, future work in this area is of particular value. Practitioners should be guardedly optimistic about the value of MIs and ACT for older adults with chronic health conditions.
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 3
- Cognitive, psychological, and physiological effects of a web-based mindfulness intervention in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: an open study. BMC Geriatrics February 14, 2024
- Solution-focused brief therapy combined with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for post-stroke depression: a randomized controlled trial. Topics in stroke rehabilitation March 1, 2026
- Art Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy, Wellbeing and Meaning in Life of Retired Community-Dwelling Older Adults Art Therapy January 9, 2025
Cites 16
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- Mindfulness meditation for the treatment of chronic low back pain in older adults: A randomized controlled pilot study ☆ Pain June 4, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
- Psychological benefits for cancer patients and their partners participating in mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Psycho-Oncology November 16, 2009
and 11 more in the library