Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on empathy: A meta-analysis.
Zhengyu Hu1,2, Yurong Wen2,3, Yafei Wang2
1Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shenyang Sport University, Shenyang, China.
Frontiers in Psychology
|November 7, 2022
Summary
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) effectively enhance empathy in healthy individuals. Factors like intervention duration and format influence these positive outcomes, offering a valuable reference for practical application.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Empathy is crucial for social functioning and survival.
- Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly used, but their impact on empathy in healthy populations requires clarification.
Approach:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.
- Literature search conducted across major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI) up to September 2022.
- Subgroup analyses explored factors influencing MBI efficacy.
Key Points:
- MBIs significantly improved empathy in healthy individuals compared to control groups (SMD = 0.372, p = 0.001).
- Intervention dose (e.g., >24 hours), format (online vs. offline), and type were identified as significant moderators of efficacy.
- The findings suggest MBIs are a viable approach for boosting empathy.
Conclusions:
- Mindfulness-based interventions demonstrate therapeutic efficacy in enhancing empathy among healthy populations.
- Intervention characteristics play a key role in treatment outcomes, guiding future MBI design.
- Further research with large-scale, rigorous trials is recommended to explore long-term effects and mechanisms.
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