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6 results for "Meta-analysis: what did research on meditation find in march 2026?"

Effectiveness of Deconstructive Meditative Practices in Improving Mental Health and Well-being: A Systematic Review

Mindfulness March 27, 2026 Paulina Lamas-Morales, Carlos García-rubio, María Beltrán-ruiz et al.

A systematic review of 18 studies (2457 participants) found that deconstructive meditative practices, such as Vipassana and insight meditation, may improve depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being in adults. Mindfulness, non-attachment, and insight were identified as possible mechanisms of change. Results varied by study design and intervention duration, and the limited number of randomized controlled trials and methodological heterogeneity restrict generalizability. The evidence suggests these practices can be effective, but higher-quality studies are needed to confirm clinical applications.

Preventing Depression through Selflessness: Effects and Mechanisms of Attentional vs. Deconstructive Meditation in a Three–Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

Mindfulness March 26, 2026 Céline Stinus, Sophie Berjot

A randomized controlled trial compared two meditation styles—focused-attention and self-inquiry—against a wait-list control group among 147 participants. Both meditation types reduced depressive symptoms and identity threat more than no meditation, with similar effectiveness. Focused-attention meditation also reduced dysfunctional attitudes more than self-inquiry or the control. Cognitive decentering (the ability to observe thoughts without identification) mediated the benefits of focused-attention meditation, while self-inquiry meditation showed exploratory links to increased feelings of connectedness to humanity and nature. The findings suggest that different meditation practices improve well-being through partially distinct psychological mechanisms, though the connectedness results require cautious interpretation.

Neural dynamics of mindfulness training: A longitudinal EEG network analysis of focused attention and open monitoring meditation

Network Neuroscience March 13, 2026 Yanli Lin, Marne White, Jihong Zhang et al. 1 citation

Alpha and theta brain rhythms have been linked to mindfulness, but connecting brain activity to subjective experience is difficult. This study used network analysis on data from 16 novices who completed up to 24 sessions of focused attention and open monitoring meditation, with EEG and self-reported mindfulness collected. Distinct network structures emerged for each practice, supporting their theoretical differences. Shared features included strong autoregressive effects for mindfulness—consistent with skill learning—and opposing influences of frontal versus posterior alpha power. The results challenge simple interpretations of meditation-related EEG, suggesting the functional meaning of neural activity depends on the specific practice and training stage.

Evaluating a brief MBCT programme for non-suicidal self-injury in individuals with BPD: a within-subject pre-post pilot study.

Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul March 9, 2026

A brief mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) programme was tested in a small pilot study with individuals who have borderline personality disorder (BPD) and engage in non-suicidal self-injury. After the programme, participants showed reductions in self-injury frequency and improvements in related psychological symptoms. The findings suggest that a shorter MBCT intervention may be feasible and helpful for this population, but the uncontrolled pre-post design limits causal conclusions.

The effect of mindfulness meditation nursing on the outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

African journal of reproductive health March 2, 2026 Xiuyun Chen, Lei Ding

Adding mindfulness meditation to routine nursing care for women undergoing in vitro fertilization improves both psychological and clinical outcomes. In a randomized trial with 100 infertile patients, those who received mindfulness-based nursing had lower postoperative pain, less anxiety and depression, better sleep quality, and higher quality of life compared to those receiving only standard care. They also showed more punctured follicles and retrieved oocytes, more embryos transferred on day 3, and a higher pregnancy rate. The findings suggest that integrating mindfulness meditation into nursing care can reduce psychological stress and enhance well-being and treatment success.

Effects of an 8-Week Mindfulness Course in People With Voice Disorders.

Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice Foundation March 1, 2026 Catherine Kay Brown, Julinette Vazquez, Stacie M Metz et al. 6 citations

An 8-week mindfulness course increased mindfulness and reduced perceived stress, vocal handicap, and singing voice handicap in people with voice disorders, compared to a waitlist control group. Among 69 participants (39 in the mindfulness course, 30 on a waitlist), those who completed the course showed significant improvements on standardized scales: mindfulness scores rose, while perceived stress, voice handicap, and singing voice handicap fell. Follow-up interviews indicated greater acceptance of the voice disorder, reduced physical tension and pain, improved body awareness, a sense of community, and positive changes in speaking and singing voice. The findings suggest mindfulness training may benefit stress reduction and quality of life for people with voice disorders.