The efficacy of a brief app-based mindfulness intervention on psychosocial outcomes in healthy adults: A pilot randomised controlled trial.
Louise Champion, Marcos Economides, Chris Chandler
PLoS One 2018 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209482 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 74 |
| Population | Adults from the general population |
| Duration | 10 or 30 days of app engagement, with assessments at baseline, day 10, and day 30 |
| Measures | Satisfaction with Life Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Wagnild Resilience Scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Relative to a wait-list control, the Headspace mindfulness app improved self-reported life satisfaction, stress, and resilience at day 10, with further improvements at day 30 (Cohen's d = 0.57, 1.42, and 0.63 respectively). The rate of improvement was largest at day 10 and dropped moderately by day 30. The app also appeared to protect against an unexpected increase in perceived stress that emerged in the control group. |
Abstract
Previous evidence suggests that mindfulness training may improve aspects of psychosocial well-being. Whilst mindfulness is traditionally taught in person, consumers are increasingly turning to mindfulness-based smartphone apps as an alternative delivery medium for training. Despite this growing trend, few studies have explored whether mindfulness delivered via a smartphone app can enhance psychosocial well-being within the general public. The present pilot randomised controlled trial compared the impact of engaging with the self-guided mindfulness meditation (MM) app 'Headspace' (n = 38) for a period of 10 or 30 days, to a wait-list (WL) control (n = 36), using a cohort of adults from the general population. The Satisfaction with Life Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Wagnild Resilience Scale were administered online at baseline and after 10 and 30 days of the intervention. Twelve participants (MM n = 9, WL n = 3) were lost to follow-up for unknown reasons. Relative to the WL control, the MM app positively impacted self-reported satisfaction with life, stress, and resilience at day 10, with further improvements emerging at day 30 (Cohen's d = 0.57, 1.42, 0.63 respectively). The rate of improvement was largest at the 10-day assessment point, dropping moderately by day 30. Participants that rated the MM app as easy to engage with experienced the largest self-reported benefits. Moreover, the MM app was able to protect against an unexpected increase in perceived stress that emerged in the control group. This pilot randomised controlled trial shows that self-reported improvements in psychosocial outcomes can be achieved at low cost through short-term engagement with a mindfulness-based smartphone app, and should be followed up with more substantive studies. ISRCTN ISRCTN34618894.
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
Cited by 42
- App‐based mindfulness meditation reduces perceived stress and improves self‐regulation in working university students: A randomised controlled trial Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being December 27, 2021
- Mindfulness-Based Mobile Apps and Their Impact on Well-Being in Nonclinical Populations: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Journal of Medical Internet Research June 21, 2023
- Mindfulness Intervention for Improving Psychological Wellbeing Among Students During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2023
- App-Based Mindfulness for Attenuation of Subjective and Physiological Stress Reactivity in a Population With Elevated Stress: Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR mHealth and uHealth August 8, 2023
- A mindful approach to controlling intrusive thoughts Scientific Reports July 6, 2023
and 37 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive states of mind, rumination, and distraction Annals of Behavioral Medicine February 1, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
and 19 more in the library