Mindfulness Interventions

A review of randomized controlled trials over the past two decades finds that mindfulness interventions—practices that train attention to present-moment experience—improve outcomes across several domains, including chronic pain, depression relapse, and addiction. The article evaluates evidence for effects on health, cognitive, affective, and interpersonal outcomes; applications in new settings such as the workplace, military, and schools; psychological and neurobiological mechanisms; dosing considerations; and potential risks. Methodologically rigorous trials demonstrate these benefits, and discussion highlights opportunities and challenges for future research and community applications.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness interventions aim to foster greater attention to and awareness of present moment experience. There has been a dramatic increase in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness interventions over the past two decades. This article evaluates the growing evidence of mindfulness intervention RCTs by reviewing and discussing (a) the effects of mindfulness interventions on health, cognitive, affective, and interpersonal outcomes; (b) evidence-based applications of mindfulness interventions to new settings and populations (e.g., the workplace, military, schools); (c) psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness interventions; (d) mindfulness intervention dosing considerations; and (e) potential risks of mindfulness interventions. Methodologically rigorous RCTs have demonstrated that mindfulness interventions improve outcomes in multiple domains (e.g., chronic pain, depression relapse, addiction). Discussion focuses on opportunities and challenges for mindfulness intervention research and on community applications.