Contemplative practices serve as complementary mental health strategies in nationally representative samples from Australia and New Zealand
Karin Matko, Cate Bailey, Julieta Galante, Jonathan N. Davies, Nicholas T. van Dam
Scientific Reports May 19, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-51375-4 via OpenAlex
Summary
A survey of 2,640 individuals in Australia and New Zealand found that 70% engaged in contemplative practices like meditation and yoga, primarily for health improvement. Practitioners reported higher psychological distress and mental healthcare use than non-practitioners. However, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, the association with distress disappeared for yoga and relaxation users, while breathing practices were linked to increased distress. Notably, practitioners with unmet healthcare needs experienced less distress than non-practitioners with similar needs.
Study at a glance
| Design | cross-sectional survey |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2,640 |
| Population | adults in Australia and New Zealand |
| Key finding | 70% of participants engaged in contemplative practices, with practitioners showing higher psychological distress compared to non-practitioners. |
Abstract
Abstract Contemplative practices (including meditation and yoga) are increasingly popular worldwide, especially as alternatives and/or complements to mental health treatment. However, nationally representative samples that allow for accurate estimates of prevalence and relation to mental health are scarce. We conducted a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey in Australia and New Zealand ( N = 2640). Sampling was stratified by age, gender, ancestry/ethnicity, region and income. Two pre-registered questions were analysed to explore participants’ engagement in contemplative practices and associations to psychological distress and mental healthcare use. We used posthoc regression analyses to further clarify relationships between variables. Overall, 70% of participants engaged in contemplative practices over the past year, most commonly meditation (31%), relaxation (25%), breathing techniques (24%), and yoga (21%). Improving health and wellbeing were the primary motivations for practice. All contemplative practice users reported significantly higher psychological distress and mental healthcare use than non-practitioners ( p ’s<0.05). Adjusting for sociodemographic differences removed associations with distress among yoga and relaxation practitioners (β relaxation = 0.02, β yoga = − 0.03, n.s. ). For meditators, the association disappeared when we accounted for mental healthcare use (β meditation = 0.01, n.s. ). Breathing practice was associated with increased distress in all models (β breathing = 0.04–0.11, p’s< 0.05). Notably, meditators and relaxation practitioners with unmet healthcare needs reported less distress than non-practitioners with unmet needs ( d meditation =0.38, d relaxation =0.35). Contemplative practices are widespread among Australians and New Zealanders and may play a complementary and/or alternative role in managing mental health. Further research is needed to study their complex associations with mental health, and which types of contemplative practices are beneficial and safe for whom.