Mindfulness Interventions in Older Adults for Mental Health and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis.

Summary

Mindfulness interventions can significantly enhance mental health in older adults, showing an overall effect size of 0.25 across 46 studies with participants averaging 60 years old. Specifically, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and other protocols demonstrated stronger effects (0.33 and 0.36, respectively) compared to Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (0.12). Notably, improvements were observed in depression (0.35), anxiety (0.32), and sleep quality (0.39). Targeted outcomes yielded even greater effects, underscoring the potential of mindfulness practices for caregivers and older individuals facing mental health challenges.

Abstract

Mindfulness interventions are consistently associated with beneficial effects in younger adults. In this meta-analysis, we seek to quantify the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for the mental health and well-being of older adults. We include 46 studies that implemented a mindfulness intervention (MBSR = 20; MBCT = 9; ad hoc protocol = 17) with older adults (samples with an average age of 60 or older; healthy adults = 20; adults with underlying symptoms = 26), examining a wide range of outcome measures (e.g., stress, quality of life, sleep). Mindfulness interventions in older adults yielded an estimated Hedges' g of 0.25. Moderator analyses revealed three significant effects. Type of intervention mattered, with the effect size for MBSR not significantly different from zero (Hedges' g = 0.12) while the effect sizes for MBCT (Hedges' g = 0.33) and "other" interventions (Hedges' g = 0.36) were. Outcome measure mattered, with significant beneficial effect sizes for mental functioning (Hedges' g = 0.59), depression (Hedges' g = 0.35), sleep (Hedges' g = 0.39), anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.32), "other" (Hedges' g = 0.24), stress (Hedges' g = 0.22) and mindfulness (Hedges' g = 0.23). Finally, whether the outcome was targeted (e.g., measures of depression in a population suffering from major depressive disorder) mattered: variables that measured targeted outcomes yielded stronger effects (Hedges' g = 0.30). Mindfulness interventions with older adults are effective, but modestly so. The extant literature is limited by reliance on modified interventions that have not been evaluated for effectiveness.

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