Perspectives on Psychological Science
October 10, 2017
Nicholas T. Van Dam, Marieke K. Van Vugt, David R. Vago et al.
1,500 citations
Mindfulness meditation has become widely used in therapy, corporate wellness, education, and the military, but the research backing it has faced criticism for poor methodology and misinformation. This article reviews the current state of mindfulness research, discussing difficulties in defining mindfulness, the proper scope of studies, and key methodological issues. The authors summarize what is known and unknown, offering a prescriptive agenda for contemplative science that focuses on assessment, training, possible adverse effects, and brain imaging. The goal is to inform scientists, media, and the public, minimize harm, curb poor research practices, and stop the spread of misinformation about mindfulness's benefits, costs, and future.
Contemporary Buddhism
May 1, 2011
Paul Grossman, Nicholas T. Van Dam
540 citations
The Buddhist concept of mindfulness, central to many Western psychological interventions, originates from a centuries-old systematic investigation of subjective experience. Current enthusiasm for mindfulness in Western science has led to many different definitions, measurements, and self-report questionnaires that treat it as a stable personality trait. This paper identifies persistent problems with these attempts and warns that they risk distorting, diluting, or reifying the original Buddhist ideas. To properly understand and measure mindfulness, psychologists and scientists may need to study Buddhist phenomenology more deeply and engage in long-term direct practice of insight meditation, a step that seems necessary before any valid characterization or quantification can occur.
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.
Mindfulness (N Y)
September 26, 2025
Saampras Ganesan, Nicholas T. Van Dam, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
3 citations
A 7-Tesla MRI study found that neurofeedback training (NFT) helps people become more aware of their mental states and boosts emotional well-being during real-world meditation. Participants who received NFT showed improved self-awareness and greater emotional benefits from meditation compared to those who did not receive NFT. The results suggest that NFT can enhance the positive effects of meditation practice.