Effects of Buddhist Interventions in Their Original Context: A Meta-analysis
Mindfulness March 25, 2026 Tanaphong Uthayaratana, William H. O’Brien, Teerawan Teerapong et al.
A meta-analysis of Buddhist-derived interventions found that they improve well-being across multiple outcomes. Compared to control groups, the interventions showed a small but significant effect (d = 0.11). Pre-post comparisons within intervention groups revealed a large effect (d = 0.85). Interventions combining multiple Buddhist components yielded the largest effect versus controls (d = 0.15), while those emphasizing panna (insight into impermanence, change, connectedness, and suffering) showed the largest pre-post gains (d = 1.15). The analysis included studies published up to July 2, 2025, and used random effects models with moderator analyses.