Mindfulness Interventions in Older Adults for Mental Health and Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis.

Mindfulness interventions have modest beneficial effects on the mental health and well-being of older adults. A meta-analysis of 46 studies with samples averaging age 60 or older found an overall effect size of Hedges' g = 0.25. The type of intervention mattered: MBSR showed a non-significant effect (g = 0.12), while MBCT (g = 0.33) and other protocols (g = 0.36) were significant. Significant benefits appeared for mental functioning (g = 0.59), sleep (g = 0.39), depression (g = 0.35), anxiety (g = 0.32), mindfulness (g = 0.23), stress (g = 0.22), and other outcomes (g = 0.24). Targeted outcomes—those matched to the population's symptoms—yielded stronger effects (g = 0.30). The literature is limited by reliance on modified interventions not yet evaluated for effectiveness.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness interventions are consistently associated with beneficial effects in younger adults. In this meta-analysis, we seek to quantify the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for the mental health and well-being of older adults. We include 46 studies that implemented a mindfulness intervention (MBSR = 20; MBCT = 9; ad hoc protocol = 17) with older adults (samples with an average age of 60 or older; healthy adults = 20; adults with underlying symptoms = 26), examining a wide range of outcome measures (e.g., stress, quality of life, sleep). Mindfulness interventions in older adults yielded an estimated Hedges' g of 0.25. Moderator analyses revealed three significant effects. Type of intervention mattered, with the effect size for MBSR not significantly different from zero (Hedges' g = 0.12) while the effect sizes for MBCT (Hedges' g = 0.33) and "other" interventions (Hedges' g = 0.36) were. Outcome measure mattered, with significant beneficial effect sizes for mental functioning (Hedges' g = 0.59), depression (Hedges' g = 0.35), sleep (Hedges' g = 0.39), anxiety (Hedges' g = 0.32), "other" (Hedges' g = 0.24), stress (Hedges' g = 0.22) and mindfulness (Hedges' g = 0.23). Finally, whether the outcome was targeted (e.g., measures of depression in a population suffering from major depressive disorder) mattered: variables that measured targeted outcomes yielded stronger effects (Hedges' g = 0.30). Mindfulness interventions with older adults are effective, but modestly so. The extant literature is limited by reliance on modified interventions that have not been evaluated for effectiveness.