The effectiveness of second-generation mindfulness interventions on anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Clinical psychology review February 1, 2026 Liucan Xu, Simon B Goldberg, Lin Zhang et al. 1 citation
Second-generation mindfulness-based interventions (SG-MBIs), which incorporate ethical and moral practices, effectively reduce depression and anxiety in adults. A meta-analysis of 43 randomized controlled trials on depression (3,756 participants) and 37 on anxiety (3,199 participants) found moderate to large effects: depression improved by a standardized mean difference of 0.59 and anxiety by 0.61. Effects remained significant after removing outlier studies (depression: 0.44; anxiety: 0.40). Clinical populations benefited more than healthy or mixed samples. Follow-up data from 20 trials showed sustained depression reductions (0.70). Most trials had some methodological concerns, but excluding high-risk studies did not change the results. SG-MBIs appear especially valuable for clinical groups and self-compassion-focused interventions.