Clinical psychology review
February 1, 2024
Jake Linardon, Mariel Messer, Simon B Goldberg et al.
61 citations
Mindfulness apps produce small but significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to control groups. A meta-analysis of 45 randomized controlled trials found effect sizes of g = 0.24 for depression (46 comparisons, 5,852 participants) and g = 0.28 for anxiety (48 comparisons, 6,082 participants). These benefits were not due to symptom worsening in control groups and remained when restricting to higher-quality trials. No significant moderators were identified, except that studies offering monetary compensation showed larger effects on depression. When compared to active therapeutic interventions, mindfulness apps showed non-significant effects, though few studies were available. The evidence suggests mindfulness apps can help reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, but more rigorous studies with longer follow-up are needed.
Clinical psychology review
June 1, 2025
Siobhan M O'Dean, Elizabeth Summerell, Eddie Harmon-Jones et al.
10 citations
People who are more mindful tend to report less anger and aggression, and mindfulness training can reduce these responses. Four meta-analyses of 118 studies found small-to-medium inverse correlations between dispositional mindfulness and both anger (r = -0.23) and aggression (r = -0.19). In experimental studies, mindfulness-based interventions produced medium reductions in anger (d = -0.48) and aggression (d = -0.61) compared to control groups. Effects were largest in Asia and with passive control groups, and were similar across clinical, forensic, healthy, medical, and student populations. The findings suggest mindfulness training can help regulate anger and aggression in diverse groups, though more rigorous control groups are needed.
Clinical psychology review
February 2, 2026
J K E Veraart, N Schimmers, J J Breeksema et al.
4 citations
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) combines psychotherapeutic interventions with the rapid-acting effects of ketamine to treat psychiatric disorders. This systematic review of 64 articles (72 studies) up to 2025 found only 11 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), highlighting limited evidence. Therapeutic approaches varied, with most classified as 'other.' Results suggest transdiagnostic effectiveness for major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance use disorders, and eating disorders. Compared to psychotherapy alone, KAP enhanced treatment engagement, symptom reduction, and duration of response. However, only two studies randomized psychotherapy alongside ketamine, neither reporting added effects; one also randomized ketamine and found no significant interaction. This limited evidence does not support added benefit or synergy from combining psychotherapy with ketamine.
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.