Mindfulness in Adaptation to Bereavement: A Systematic Review
Xinyan Sun1, Maya J Schroevers1, Max O Lessing2
1Department of Health Sciences, Health Psychology Section, University of Groningen/University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
|December 12, 2025
Summary
Mindfulness shows promise for improving mental health after bereavement, particularly for secondary issues like depression. More research is needed to confirm its benefits for prolonged grief itself.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Mental Health
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Bereavement can lead to prolonged grief and other mental health issues.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy is a primary treatment, but not universally effective.
- Mindfulness-based interventions are emerging as potential alternatives, but comprehensive reviews are scarce.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review observational and intervention studies on mindfulness's role in psychological adaptation to bereavement.
- To examine the relationship between mindfulness and prolonged grief, depression, and PTSD symptoms.
- To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for bereaved adults.
Main Methods:
- Searched PsycINFO, Web of Science, and PubMed for relevant studies.
- Included 13 observational and intervention studies with 2097 participants.
- Analyzed associations between self-reported mindfulness and grief/mental health outcomes, and intervention effects.
Main Results:
- Observational studies consistently linked higher mindfulness to lower prolonged grief and secondary mental health problems.
- Mindfulness predicted changes in secondary outcomes but not prolonged grief over time.
- Interventions showed effectiveness for secondary outcomes, with mixed results for prolonged grief.
Conclusions:
- Mindfulness holds promise for improving mental health in bereaved individuals.
- Mindfulness-based interventions appear effective for secondary mental health issues.
- Further research, including RCTs, is needed to clarify benefits for prolonged grief.
Keywords:
anxietydepressionmindfulness‐based interventionsposttraumatic stress disorderprolonged grief disorderself‐reported mindfulnessMore Related Videos
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