Mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors

Simon B. Goldberg, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA. Electronic address: sbgoldberg@wisc.edu.
Raymond P. Tucker, Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Preston A. Greene, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.
Richard J. Davidson, Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Bruce E. Wampold, Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA; Modum Bad Psychiatric Center, Vikersund, Norway.
David J. Kearney, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.
Tracy L. Simpson, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2018

Abstract

Despite widespread scientific and popular interest in mindfulness-based interventions, questions regarding the empirical status of these treatments remain. We sought to examine the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for clinical populations on disorder-specific symptoms. To address the question of relative efficacy, we coded the strength of the comparison group into five categories: no treatment, minimal treatment, non-specific active control, specific active control, and evidence-based treatment. A total of 142 non-overlapping samples and 12,005 participants were included. At post-treatment, mindfulness-based interventions were superior to no treatment (d=0.55), minimal treatment (d=0.37), non-specific active controls (d=0.35), and specific active controls (d=0.23). Mindfulness conditions did not differ from evidence-based treatments (d=-0.004). At follow-up, mindfulness-based interventions were superior to no treatment conditions (d=0.50), non-specific active controls (d=0.52), and specific active controls (d=0.29). Mindfulness conditions did not differ from minimal treatment conditions (d=0.38) and evidence-based treatments (d=0.09). Effects on specific disorder subgroups showed the most consistent evidence in support of mindfulness for depression, pain conditions, smoking, and addictive disorders. Results support the notion that mindfulness-based interventions hold promise as evidence-based treatments.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Clinical psychology review

First Page

52

Last Page

60

Recommended Citation

Goldberg, S. B., Tucker, R. P., Greene, P. A., Davidson, R. J., Wampold, B. E., Kearney, D. J., & Simpson, T. L. (2018). Mindfulness-based interventions for psychiatric disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 59, 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.011