Effectiveness of Daily Mindfulness Meditation App Usage to Reduce Anxiety and Improve Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Cureus July 1, 2023 Katie O'Donnell, Melanie Dunbar, Diana Speelman 4 citations
During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, adults who used a meditation app for 10 minutes daily over 30 days showed reduced anxiety and improved well-being compared to a control group. Anxiety scores (GAD-7) decreased in the intervention group from a median of 5.5 to 3.0, while the control group showed no significant change. Well-being scores (WHO-5) improved in both groups, but the improvement was larger in the intervention group, rising from a mean of 12.0 to 16.3 versus 11.6 to 12.9 in controls. The findings suggest that brief daily meditation app use may help reduce anxiety and enhance well-being during stressful periods.