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Using Wavelet Entropy to Demonstrate how Mindfulness Practice Increases Coordination between Irregular Cerebral and Cardiac Activities

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Unlocking Flow Through Mindfulness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Yvain Longaretti^1,2, Guy Cheron², David Zarka¹

¹Osteopathic Sciences Research Unit, Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.

The Journal of Psychology

|October 30, 2025

Summary

Mindfulness-based interventions significantly boost flow states and traits, enhancing performance and well-being. These findings suggest mindfulness practices are effective tools for achieving deep absorption and improving overall psychological outcomes.

Keywords:

Attention regulation athletes executive function positive psychology well-being

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Cognitive Science
Behavioral Science

Background:

Flow, characterized by deep absorption, is associated with improved performance and well-being.
Mindfulness, focusing on present-moment awareness and acceptance, may facilitate flow states.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically review and meta-analyze the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on flow state and trait.
To assess the quality of evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining MBIs and flow.

Main Methods:

Systematic literature search of major databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.) updated to January 2024.
Inclusion of eight RCTs involving healthy participants and validated flow assessments, excluding non-peer-reviewed and non-RCT studies.
Random-effects meta-analysis to determine the overall effect of MBIs on flow, with risk of bias assessment using Cochrane's RoB2 tool.

Main Results:

MBIs demonstrated a significant positive effect on flow outcomes (SMD = 0.777, p < 0.0001) with low heterogeneity.
Publication bias was minimal, and sensitivity analyses indicated robustness despite 50% of studies having a high risk of bias.
Mechanisms include enhanced attention, present-moment awareness, and reduced self-critical thoughts.

Conclusions:

Mindfulness-based interventions meaningfully enhance both flow state and trait in healthy individuals.
MBIs appear to improve flow by fostering key psychological processes like attention and acceptance.
Further research with rigorous bias assessment and larger sample sizes is recommended to explore dose-response and long-term effects.