Mindfulness Interventions and Surveys as Tools for Positive Emotional Regulation During COVID-19: A Scoping Review

Abstract Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic has caused high mortality rates worldwide, as well as consequent psychological and physical stress. The present study aimed to review the main existing scientific research studies conducted since the onset of the COVID-19 that have used mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) as tools for emotional regulation, aiming to improve individuals’ ability to cope with general stress caused by pandemic periods and their consequences (e.g., contagion, confinement, loss of loved ones or job stability) especially related with anxiety, stress, depression, or emotional dysregulation.

Method: To this aim, six databases (i.e., PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct) were consulted and analyzed following PRISMA-Sc guidelines.

Results: Of the 16 studies selected, 7 are clinical trials that used MBIs, and 9 are online surveys in which mindfulness and emotional regulation variables were assessed to explore their interrelations. Generally, the analysis suggested that the cultivation of MBI strategies for treating anxiety and depression during COVID-19 confinement periods resulted in improved psychological well-being.

Conclusions: MBI techniques can be considered useful intervention tools in current and future worldwide changing situations, in which personal development and resilience should be considered an urgent issue for both educational and preventive health practices. Conversely, there are also some limitations that arose from the field of MBI research that hopefully might be addressed in future research (such as the diversity of intervention techniques used across studies). Pre registration This study is not preregistered.