Mind Brain and Education
August 16, 2013
Lisa Flook, Simon B. Goldberg, Laura Pinger et al.
677 citations
A modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course adapted for teachers reduced psychological symptoms and burnout, improved classroom organization as rated by observers, enhanced performance on a computer task measuring affective attentional bias, and increased self-compassion among participants. Control group participants showed declines in cortisol functioning over time and marginally significant increases in burnout. Changes in mindfulness correlated in the expected direction with changes in psychological symptoms, burnout, and sustained attention in the intervention group. The course appears promising for supporting teacher well-being and classroom effectiveness.
Developmental Psychology
November 10, 2014
Lisa Flook, Simon B. Goldberg, Laura Pinger et al.
561 citations
A 12-week mindfulness-based Kindness Curriculum delivered in a public school setting improved social competence and report card grades in learning, health, and social-emotional development among 68 preschool children, while the control group showed more selfish behavior over time. Small to medium effects favoring the intervention group were found on measures of cognitive flexibility and delay of gratification. Children initially lower in social competence and executive functioning showed larger gains in social competence. The findings support the program's promise for promoting self-regulation and prosocial behavior in young children.
Perspectives on Psychological Science
February 16, 2021
Simon B. Goldberg, Kevin M. Riordan, Shufang Sun et al.
492 citations
Mindfulness-based interventions show superiority to passive controls across a wide range of populations, problems, interventions, comparisons, and outcomes, with effect sizes ranging from 0.10 to 0.89. Effects are typically smaller and less often statistically significant compared with active controls, though mindfulness-based interventions are similar or superior to specific active controls and evidence-based treatments. Heterogeneity is typically moderate, few consistent moderators are found, and results are generally robust to publication bias. Reporting of adverse effects is inconsistent, and statistical power may be lacking in meta-analyses, particularly for comparisons with active controls.
Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
December 11, 2018
Joseph Wielgosz, Simon B. Goldberg, Tammi R. A. Kral et al.
441 citations
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly used in mental health interventions and has influenced basic research on psychopathology. This review examines mindfulness meditation through clinical neuroscience, linking its core capacities to cognitive and affective constructs from the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria. Effective applications are noted for depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and substance abuse, with emerging work on attention disorders, traumatic stress, dysregulated eating, and serious mental illness. Priorities for future research include identifying mechanisms, refining methods, and improving implementation. Mindfulness meditation shows promise for interventions, especially for psychiatric comorbidity, and its successes and challenges offer lessons for integrating contemplative traditions with clinical science.
Psychological Assessment
October 13, 2015
Simon B. Goldberg, Joseph Wielgosz, Cortland J. Dahl et al.
180 citations
A randomized trial with 130 participants tested whether the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) validly measures dispositional mindfulness. The study included three groups: mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), an active control condition (Health Enhancement Program, HEP) that did not teach mindfulness meditation, and a waitlist control. At baseline, FFMQ facets correlated with measures of psychological symptoms and well-being, providing partial evidence for convergent validity. FFMQ scores increased for MBSR relative to the waitlist, but they also increased for HEP relative to the waitlist, and MBSR and HEP did not differ from each other. The FFMQ thus failed to show discriminant validity, raising questions about its ability to specifically measure mindfulness.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
February 8, 2019
Simon B. Goldberg, Raymond P. Tucker, Preston Greene et al.
174 citations
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is effective for reducing current depressive symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder immediately after treatment, but its long-term benefits remain unclear. In a meta-analysis of 13 randomized clinical trials with 1,046 participants, MBCT outperformed non-specific control conditions at post-treatment (effect size d = 0.71), though this advantage was not statistically significant at an average follow-up of 5.70 months. MBCT showed no difference compared to other active therapies at either post-treatment or follow-up. Studies with higher methodological quality tended to show smaller effects, and publication bias appeared minimal.
Journal of Counseling Psychology
July 15, 2021
Shufang Sun, Danhua Lin, Simon B. Goldberg et al.
148 citations
A mindfulness-based mobile health intervention reduced anxiety more than a social-support-based mobile health intervention among young adult students in quarantine in China who had elevated anxiety or depressive symptoms. Both groups improved on depression, with no significant difference between them. The mindfulness program was also rated as more feasible and acceptable. Emotional suppression reduction helped explain the improvements. The study suggests that delivering mindfulness or social support via smartphone apps can help reduce distress during a pandemic, with mindfulness especially effective for anxiety.
PLoS ONE
October 31, 2017
Simon B. Goldberg, Raymond P. Tucker, Preston A. Greene et al.
134 citations
A systematic review of 142 randomized clinical trials of mindfulness-based interventions for clinical disorders, published between 2000 and 2016, found no statistically significant increases in six key methodological quality indicators over that period, though changes generally trended toward improvement. When analyses were restricted to studies from Europe and North America, a significant increase in reporting of intent-to-treat analyses emerged. Excluding one early high-quality study revealed improvements in sample size, treatment fidelity assessment, and intent-to-treat reporting. Overall, the findings indicate only modest adoption of recommended methodological improvements across the field.
Scientific Reports
November 22, 2019
Isaac N. Treves, Lawrence Y. Tello, Richard J. Davidson et al.
118 citations
A meta-analysis of 15 studies (17 samples, 879 adults) found a small positive relationship between mindfulness and the accuracy of body awareness, with an effect size of g = 0.21. When analyzed by study design, only randomized controlled trials showed a significant link (g = 0.20). Heterogeneity was low, but low fail-safe N estimates reduce confidence in the findings. The results suggest a small but potentially detectable association between mindfulness and body awareness accuracy.
Psychotherapy Research
October 9, 2012
A. C. del Re, Christoph Flückiger, Simon B. Goldberg et al.
117 citations
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a group intervention that reduces psychological symptoms, but which specific aspects of the practice drive those improvements is unclear. A new measure of mindfulness practice quality (PQ-M) was validated using exploratory factor analysis with 99 participants, showing a two-factor structure. In a smaller subsample of 19 participants, changes in practice quality over the course of MBSR were linked to reductions in psychological symptoms. Although exploratory, the findings suggest that the quality of mindfulness practice, not just its quantity, may be a relevant factor for improving outcomes and could help instructors tailor interventions.
Psychotherapy Research
June 2, 2021
Simon B. Goldberg, Sin U Lam, Willoughby B. Britton et al.
110 citations
Meditation-related adverse effects (MRAE) are common, even among people with modest meditation experience. In a population-based survey, 32.3% of participants reported MRAE on a general item, and 50.0% reported at least one specific adverse effect. Anxiety, traumatic re-experiencing, and emotional sensitivity were the most common. Functional impairment occurred in 10.6% of participants, lasting at least one month for 1.2%. Childhood adversity was associated with higher risk for MRAE. Despite these effects, participants who reported MRAE were equally glad to have practiced meditation as those who did not. The findings suggest that transparency about possible risks and trauma-sensitive approaches are warranted.
Nature. Mental health
July 10, 2023
Julieta Galante, Claire Friedrich, Napaporn Aeamla-Or et al.
102 citations
Mindfulness-based programmes reduce psychological distress (anxiety and depression) in community adults who volunteer to participate, with a small to moderate effect size. The analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials with 2,371 participants from 8 countries found a standardized mean difference of -0.32, with high confidence in the result. The effect was not clearly influenced by participants' baseline distress level, gender, age, education, or dispositional mindfulness. More research is needed to understand why outcomes vary between individuals.
Journal of Counseling Psychology
January 1, 2014
Simon B. Goldberg, A. C. del Re, William T. Hoyt et al.
80 citations
In a randomized clinical trial of mindfulness training for smokers, the quality of mindfulness practice—how well participants engaged with the techniques—predicted improvements in psychological functioning (including negative affect, emotion regulation, quality of life, and mindfulness) both immediately after treatment and at a 5-month follow-up, even after accounting for the amount of time spent practicing. The amount of practice time predicted improvements only at posttreatment, not at follow-up. Neither practice time nor change in practice quality predicted smoking abstinence at 1 or 6 months after quitting. The findings suggest that the quality of mindfulness practice is a more enduring predictor of psychological benefits than the quantity of practice.
Assessment
May 18, 2021
Simon B. Goldberg, Scott A. Baldwin, Kevin M. Riordan et al.
73 citations
A six-item Digital Working Alliance Inventory (DWAI) measuring the working alliance in unguided smartphone-based interventions shows good psychometric properties. In a cross-sectional survey of 290 meditation app users and the intervention arm of a randomized trial with 314 participants, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a single-factor structure. The DWAI demonstrated adequate internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and discriminant validity (no association with social desirability, psychological distress, or preference for a waitlist condition). Convergent validity was supported by positive associations with perceived app effectiveness and preference for an app condition. DWAI scores positively predicted self-reported and objective app utilization. When assessed at Weeks 3 or 4, but not earlier, DWAI scores predicted pre-post reductions in psychological distress.
Journal of Counseling Psychology
July 25, 2019
Simon B. Goldberg, Cara Knoeppel, Richard J. Davidson et al.
71 citations
In mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), the quality of meditation practice—not just the amount of time spent—mediates improvements in self-reported mindfulness. Multilevel mediation models showed that better practice quality linked practice time to changes in mindfulness, suggesting that how one practices is a mechanism connecting practice duration with outcomes. The authors recommend future research on practice quality in clinical samples using intensive sampling methods and objective measures.
Psychological Medicine
November 4, 2020
Simon B. Goldberg, Benjamin Shechet, Christopher R. Nicholas et al.
66 citations
Classical psychedelics such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, and LSD produce significant psychological effects lasting at least 24 hours after administration, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 34 experimental studies involving 549 participants. Large effects were observed for reducing targeted symptoms in psychiatric samples, improving negative and positive affect, social outcomes, and existential or spiritual well-being, with between-group effect sizes ranging from Hedges' g = 0.84 to 1.08. Effects may be larger in clinical samples. Evidence for changes in personality traits or mindfulness was weak. No post-acute adverse effects were found, but high risk of bias, heterogeneity, and possible publication bias underscore the need for larger, placebo-controlled trials.
Journal of Affective Disorders
January 26, 2024
Ludwig Honk, Cecilia U.D. Stenfors, Simon B. Goldberg et al.
41 citations
Using data from nearly 10,000 adults in the US and UK, psychedelic use over a two-month period was not linked to changes in psychotic symptoms overall. However, among people with a personal or family history of bipolar disorder, psychedelic use was associated with an increase in symptoms. Conversely, those with a personal history of psychotic disorders experienced a decrease in symptoms. These findings suggest that the effects of psychedelics on psychotic symptoms depend on an individual's psychiatric history.
January 14, 2019
Simon B. Goldberg, Raymond P. Tucker, Preston A. Greene et al.
38 citations
Mindfulness-based interventions reduce disorder-specific symptoms more than no treatment, minimal treatment, non-specific active controls, and specific active controls at post-treatment, with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.23 to 0.55. At follow-up, they remain superior to no treatment, non-specific active controls, and specific active controls. Mindfulness conditions did not differ from evidence-based treatments at either time point. The most consistent evidence supports mindfulness for depression, pain conditions, smoking, and addictive disorders. These findings indicate mindfulness-based interventions are promising evidence-based treatments.
PLoS ONE
December 12, 2018
M. Hirshberg, Simon B. Goldberg, S. Schaefer et al.
33 citations
Different styles of brief contemplative practices produce distinct effects on affect and behavior, especially under stress. In a randomized experiment with 156 undergraduates, gratitude training improved positive affect more than breath awareness, while loving-kindness reduced implicit negative affect more than a control condition. However, gratitude training also increased reactivity to a cold pressor stressor: participants reported it as more aversive and showed greater increases in negative affect. Those with greater gains in implicit positive affect after gratitude training later rated neutral faces as less likable and were less likely to donate time to help others. These findings suggest that even brief introductory practices can have divergent outcomes, which may be amplified by stress.
Psychotherapy Research
May 8, 2023
Simon B. Goldberg, Christopher Anders, Shannon L. Stuart-Maver et al.
28 citations
Meditation, mindfulness, and acceptance (MMA) methods are popular in psychotherapy, but their impact when integrated into individual therapy sessions is unclear. A systematic review of 4,671 references found only three studies meeting inclusion criteria. In the one experimental study (162 participants), adding mindfulness meditation did not improve outcomes beyond other active treatments like progressive muscle relaxation or treatment-as-usual (effect sizes ranged from 0.00 to 0.12 for general clinical symptoms). Two small qualitative studies (5 therapist-patient dyads; 9 adults) suggested patients may find MMA methods helpful. The authors call for future research on optimal dosage, timing, patient characteristics, cultural adaptations, and measurement of MMA constructs in individual therapy.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
September 26, 2022
Christian A. Webb, Matthew J. Hirshberg, Richard J. Davidson et al.
26 citations
A data-driven algorithm can predict which individuals are most likely to benefit from a 4-week meditation app (Healthy Minds Program) compared to no intervention. The algorithm, called a Personalized Advantage Index, was developed using machine learning on baseline data from 662 school system employees in a randomized controlled trial. It significantly moderated group differences in distress reduction, meaning it identified people who improved more with the app versus the control condition. Repetitive negative thinking alone predicted benefit nearly as well. Such an algorithm could help individuals make informed decisions about whether a meditation app is appropriate for them.
Psychotherapy
April 30, 2020
Simon B. Goldberg, Adam W. Hanley, Scott A. Baldwin et al.
22 citations
Mindfulness practice time and psychological outcomes are linked on the same day, but practicing more on one day does not predict better outcomes the next day. Instead, feeling better or more mindful on a given day predicts more practice the following day. Over 12 weeks, 25 participants in a standardized mindfulness program completed daily diaries. Same-day relationships showed expected patterns: more practice was associated with higher positive affect and mindfulness and lower negative affect. However, lagged analyses found no evidence that practice time drives next-day outcomes. Post hoc analysis indicated that practice time moderated the connection between day-to-day affect, strengthening the positive affect link and weakening the negative affect link. The findings suggest that the causal direction may flow from outcome to practice time, not the reverse.
Psychol Med
March 31, 2025
Otto Simonsson, Simon B. Goldberg, Walter Osika et al.
16 citations
In a large online survey of over 12,000 participants followed for two months, people who used psychedelics outside of medical supervision reported increases in psychotic and manic symptoms. These increases occurred only among those who used psychedelics in an illegal context. The severity of psychotic symptoms rose with more frequent use and more intense challenging experiences, while manic symptoms increased more in individuals with a history of schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder and those who reported a strong sense of insight during their psychedelic experience. The findings suggest that naturalistic psychedelic use in illegal settings may pose risks for certain individuals.
American Psychologist
August 7, 2025
J. David Creswell, Simon B. Goldberg
14 citations
Meditation apps have rapidly spread worldwide, changing how millions learn and practice meditation, but research has not kept pace with public adoption. Recent randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses show that app-based meditation interventions produce modest but consistent reductions in depression and anxiety. Initial mechanistic studies suggest improvements in worry, repetitive negative thinking, and self-reported mindfulness skills may underlie these effects, alongside early findings on blood pressure reduction and pro-inflammatory gene expression. Compared to traditional in-person programs, meditation apps typically lack interpersonal support, offer briefer practice sessions, have lower sustained engagement, but provide greater opportunities for personalization and large-scale data capture. Hybrid models combining app content with human support and just-in-time interventions are promising directions.
Counselling Psychology Quarterly
April 10, 2017
Simon B. Goldberg
14 citations
Mindfulness has gained prominence in psychology and medicine, and recently in counseling psychology. This article reviews the mindfulness literature and identifies theoretical and practical overlaps with counseling psychology's core values. It discusses how counseling psychology can uniquely contribute to mindfulness research through multiculturalism, social justice, psychotherapy process and outcome, and supervision and training. Mindfulness can also support counseling psychology's mission by offering strengths-based approaches to intervention and prevention. Five recommendations for a collaborative research agenda are provided.