The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on emotion regulation/dysregulation in people with mental health conditions: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
JCPP Advances February 12, 2026 Thomas Easdale‐Cheele, George Nash, Veronika Filobokova et al. 1 citation
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) improve cognitive reappraisal and reduce emotion dysregulation in people with diagnosed mental health conditions. A meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials (16 in the meta-analyses, 988 participants total) found that MBIs significantly improved cognitive reappraisal (6 studies, effect size 0.65) and reduced overall emotion dysregulation (9 studies, effect size -0.54). Significant reductions occurred in dysregulation domains of goal-directedness, impulsivity, and accessing emotion regulation strategies. Effects on expressive suppression were not significant. Study quality moderated emotion regulation outcomes but not overall dysregulation. Limited evidence for younger people and reliance on self-report measures warrant cautious interpretation.