The Effect of Meditation-Based Mind-Body Interventions on Symptoms and Executive Function in People With ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Zeping Zhang, X. Chang, Wei-Jing Zhang, Su-Yong Yang, Guangsheng Zhao
Journal of Attention Disorders February 20, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/10870547231154897 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness Tai Chi Yoga Qigong |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Pooled analyses of randomized controlled trials indicate that mindfulness-based interventions (mindfulness, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qigong) produce small improvements in inattention (g = -0.26), hyperactivity/impulsivity (g = -0.19), and executive function (g = -0.35) in ADHD relative to control conditions. The authors suggest these effects are significant but note that symptom outcomes may be moderated by age, intervention type, and total intervention time, and that further research is needed. |
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of MBIs (Mindfulness, Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qigong) on symptoms and executive function (EF) in ADHD.
Method: PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and CNKI databases were searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of MBIs on symptoms and EF in ADHD. Data extraction and methodological quality evaluation were conducted by two researchers, and a meta-analysis was conducted by Stata SE.
Results: The pooled meta-analyses of MBIs revealed a positive and small effect on inattention (g = −0.26), hyperactivity/impulsivity (g = −0.19), and EF (g = −0.35).
Conclusion: Results suggest that MBIs have a significant improvement relative to the control condition. Although some results show that symptoms are affected by age, interventions, and total time of moderators, while EF is not affected by age and measurement, it needs to be supported by more research evidence. (J. of Att. Dis. XXXX; XX(X) XX-XX)
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 2
- The effect of mindfulness-based Tai Chi Chuan on mobile phone addiction among male college students is associated with executive functions. PLoS One 2025
- Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry September 16, 2026
Cites 15
- The effectiveness of a single session of mindfulness-based cognitive training on cardiac vagal control and core symptoms in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a preliminary randomized controlled trial. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry May 24, 2022
- Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Their Parents: A Randomized Control Trial Journal of Attention Disorders March 1, 2022
- A randomised controlled trial (MindChamp) of a mindfulness‐based intervention for children with ADHD and their parents Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry May 24, 2021
- The efficacy of meditation-based mind-body interventions for mental disorders: A meta-review of 17 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychiatric Research February 1, 2021
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Therapies for ADHD: A Meta-Analytic Review Journal of Attention Disorders March 1, 2020
and 10 more in the library