Is mindfulness practice "at risk" of increasing spirituality? Systematic review and critical analysis of a claimed effect.
L'Encephale August 1, 2024 Fabrice Berna, Amaury C Mengin, Philippe Huguelet et al. 7 citations
A systematic review of 18 studies with 1272 participants examined whether mindfulness meditation increases spirituality or religiosity as measured by validated scales. Four scales (FACIT-sp, INSPIRIT, DSES, DUREL) contained items on spirituality, religion, and mysticism—elements critics consider risky for sectarian drift. A few studies found significant increases in spirituality scores after mindfulness meditation, but the clinical relevance of these changes is uncertain; control groups showed smaller changes. The review concludes that a pragmatic harm-reduction approach is more appropriate than banning mindfulness-based practices, and that the debate over secularism in French psychotherapy requires further research.