Mindfulness-Based Programmes for Work Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Psychology
• Evidence Synthesis
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Global employers and universities invest in mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) to enhance employee and student work performance.
• Evidence supporting the efficacy of MBPs in occupational and academic settings remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide the highest quality synthesis of MBPs' impact on work performance in academic and occupational settings.
• To evaluate MBPs' effects on primary outcomes (task performance) and secondary outcomes (contextual, adaptive performance, counter-productive behavior).

Main Methods:

• A systematic review and meta-analysis of 99 studies (N=16,054) were conducted, searching eight databases.
• Two independent reviewers selected studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias.
• Pairwise random-effects meta-analyses were performed to synthesize findings.

Main Results:

• MBPs significantly improved task performance compared to passive control groups (Hedges' g=0.25, p=0.01).
• No significant improvement in task performance was observed compared to active control groups (Hedges' g=0.12, p=0.43).
• MBPs positively impacted adaptive and contextual performance, with potential lasting effects.

Conclusions:

• MBPs may offer benefits for task, adaptive, and contextual performance in work and academic settings.
• The overall confidence in the review's findings, assessed by GRADE, is very low.
• Further high-quality research is needed to confirm the efficacy of MBPs for work performance enhancement.