Contemplative interventions and employee distress: A meta-analysis.
Stress and Health March 15, 2019 G. Slemp, Hayley K. Jach, A. Chia et al. 45 citations
Contemplative interventions such as mindfulness and meditation reduce psychological distress in employees, producing small to moderate effects that persist at follow-up. A meta-analysis of 119 studies (6,044 participants) found that the type of intervention and control group influenced results. Publication bias likely inflates estimated effects, especially in uncontrolled single-sample studies; adjustments lowered overall effects. The authors conclude that while these interventions are effective, proactive strategies are needed to prevent overestimation of benefits and misapplication in workplaces.