A narrative review of research status and prospects of mindfulness-based interventions in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia patients often experience frailty due to persistent hallucinations, delusions, negative symptoms, and social stigmatization, severely impacting their quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Recently, mindfulness intervention therapy has emerged as a supplementary treatment for residual symptoms and functional decline in schizophrenia. Numerous controlled studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses have examined the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on schizophrenia. Despite this, the mechanisms through which mindfulness affects schizophrenia remain unclear. This review incorporates qualitative research and correlation analyses to explore the relationships among mindfulness traits, psychological and neurological changes, symptom improvement, and functional enhancement, identifying unresolved scientific questions. Additionally, the article examines research findings on safety, digitalization, and mobile health. Findings indicate a complex relationship between mindfulness and patients' insight, self-compassion, and stigmatization. Enhancing attention control and emotional regulation may underlie the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for schizophrenia. Increased insular activity and reduced default mode network connectivity might contribute to mindfulness's potential benefits for these patients. This study offers a foundation for future mindfulness intervention programs for schizophrenia and suggests directions for further research.