Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention versus a social contact control in alleviating loneliness among older adults: a randomised controlled trial.
BMJ mental health February 1, 2026 Elvin Tsz-Fung Wong, Eric Kam-Pui Lee, Phoenix Kit-Han Mo et al.
Loneliness is common among Chinese older adults. A randomized controlled trial compared an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention for older adults (MBOA) with a social contact control (SCC) in 245 community-dwelling lonely adults aged 60 or older in Hong Kong. At 12 months, there was no significant difference in loneliness reduction between the two groups, though both improved (within-group effect size: MBOA -0.58, SCC -0.31). MBOA participants showed reduced depressive symptoms and a trend toward less anxiety at 6 months compared with SCC. The findings suggest MBOA is not superior to social contact for loneliness but may benefit psychological symptoms.