Applied Psychology Health and Well-Being
August 1, 2025
Nicholas I. Bowles, Nicholas T. Van Dam
6 citations
Meditation practice dose is significantly associated with improvements in well-being, affect, and distress, with practice frequency being a stronger predictor of beneficial outcomes than session duration. During a two-month prospective period, 35 to 65 minutes of daily practice was required for meaningful improvements in well-being, and 50 to 80 minutes daily for meaningful improvements in mental health outcomes. Dose-response effects were moderated by lifetime practice experience, negative emotionality, and valuing mental health as a practice goal. Benefits were maintained over a two- to four-year follow-up period.
Mindfulness
March 1, 2025
Julieta Galante, Nicholas T. Van Dam
6 citations
The authors critique a proposal to broaden the definition of mindfulness to include diverse contemplative practices, arguing instead to move the term away from the spotlight and study contemplative practices with more precise academic terms. They contend that comparing mindfulness and public health is a category error: mindfulness is a set of practices, while public health is a field defined by application. Reframing mindfulness as an aid to public health, rather than a replacement, clarifies its potential as an individual-level component of multi-level interventions addressing social determinants of health. Realizing this requires collaborative partnerships between mindfulness developers and independent public health researchers, using participatory methods to assess community needs.
Current opinion in psychology
February 1, 2026
Karin Matko, Nicholas T. Van Dam
4 citations
Mindfulness and meditation can cause adverse effects, including anxiety, depression, and traumatic re-experiencing, with 25-87% of practitioners reporting such effects and 3-37% experiencing functional impairment like inability to work. It is unclear whether these effects are temporary or lasting. Retreat attendance and pre-existing mental health conditions may increase risk, though causality is not established. The review recommends thorough screening, informed consent, and ongoing monitoring in clinical practice, along with setting clear expectations, offering psychoeducational support, and adapting interventions when appropriate to balance benefits and risks.