Emotion-related constructs engaged by mindfulness-based interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are widely used to enhance self-regulation by targeting emotion-related factors.
• The specific impact of MBIs on various emotion-related constructs and their measurement has not been systematically reviewed.
• Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for optimizing MBI application and research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically examine the construct and measurement engagement of MBIs, specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
• To determine which emotion-related measures are most influenced by MBCT and MBSR.
• To provide guidance on selecting appropriate measurement tools for MBI research and clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis of 72 studies (N=7,378) involving adults using standardized MBSR, MBCT, or modified MBIs.
• Analysis focused on construct and measurement engagement, comparing MBIs against inactive controls.
• Exploration of moderators including MBI type, measurement tool, and population type.

Main Results:

• MBIs demonstrated significant overall improvement in emotion-related processing compared to inactive controls (d=0.58).
• Significant effects were observed for depression (d=0.66), anxiety (d=0.63), combined mental health (d=0.75), and stress (d=0.44).
• Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) showed stronger effects than Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), though driven by limited studies; no advantage over active controls was found.

Conclusions:

• This review is the first to comprehensively assess emotion-related measures influenced by MBCT/MBSR, examining mechanistic processes.
• While effect sizes varied little across measurement tools, MBCT demonstrated potentially greater efficacy than MBSR.
• Provides descriptive evaluations and cautionary notes to guide researchers and clinicians in selecting emotion-related measurement tools for MBIs.