Mindfulness
September 1, 2023
Blair T Johnson, Rebecca L Acabchuk, Elisabeth A George et al.
45 citations
Mindfulness-based programs improve well-being in college students, with the strongest evidence for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 58 randomized controlled trials found that mindfulness interventions significantly outperformed both active and inactive controls, with the most marked effects on anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. Greater success appeared for clinical populations. Online programs performed equivalently to in-person programs, and non-mindfulness-based programs were equivalent to mindfulness-based programs after controlling for other factors. Publication bias and other quality issues emerged. More studies using stronger methods are needed to evaluate effects on additional health outcomes and online interventions in clinical populations.
Psychiatry research
December 1, 2024
Zev Schuman-Olivier, Richa Gawande, Timothy B Creedon et al.
10 citations
Mindfulness training helps people change health behaviors partly by improving how they listen to and trust internal bodily signals, a process called interoceptive appreciation. In a randomized trial with 274 primary care patients who had depression, anxiety, or stress disorders related to chronic illness, those who received Mindfulness Training for Primary Care showed greater initiation of a chosen health behavior action plan compared to a low-dose mindfulness group. The effect was mediated by interoceptive appreciation: among patients without depression, listening to bodily signals played a key role; among those with moderate-to-severe depression, trusting bodily signals was more important. Regaining body trust may be a crucial step for behavior change in depression.
Evidence & policy : a journal of research, debate and practice
April 4, 2025
Ariana M Albanese, Hannah E Frank, Margaret E Crane et al.
Health insurers in the United States typically do not cover Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a well-studied treatment. To understand how research can support coverage, researchers interviewed key informants—policy makers, health insurers, healthcare administrators, clinicians, MBSR students/patients, and teachers—about barriers and facilitators to coverage, how they use research, and which outcomes matter most. Perspectives aligned across those with and without direct policy influence. Participants wanted information on MBSR's worthiness as a covered treatment (its quality, usability, and financial soundness) and a clearer definition of the service and its coverage. Barriers included billing code creation and use, but MBSR's ability to address mental health in an un-stigmatizing way could facilitate coverage. Research is frequently integrated into decisions, though other factors also weigh in.