Journal Article

The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Britton, Willoughby, Böttcher, Adriana, Parsons, Elizabeth, Walker, Zuzana, Touron, Edelweiss, Schlosser, Marco, Müller, Theresa, Lee, Michael, Sager, Lauren, Barnhofer, Thorsten, Klimecki, Olga, Collette, Fabienne, Chételat, Gaël, Lazar, Sara W, Coll-Padros, Nina, Dumais, Travis, Arenaza-Urquijo, Eider M, Acabchuk, Rebecca, Vago, David, Whitfield, Tim, Wirth, Miranka, Moitra, Ethan, Moulinet, Inès, Sannemann, Lena, Marchant, Natalie L, Schild, Ann-Katrin, Dautricourt, Sophie, Scharf, Jodi, Lutz, Antoine, Demnitz-King, Harriet, Meiberth, Dix, Cohen, Avi

2022

Overview

Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) are increasingly utilized to improve mental health. Interest in the putative effects of MBPs on cognitive function is also growing. This is the first meta-analysis of objective cognitive outcomes across multiple domains from randomized MBP studies of adults. Seven databases were systematically searched to January 2020. Fifty-six unique studies (n = 2,931) were included, of which 45 (n = 2,238) were synthesized using robust variance estimation meta-analysis. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses evaluated moderators. Pooling data across cognitive domains, the summary effect size for all studies favored MBPs over comparators and was small in magnitude (g = 0.15; [0.05, 0.24]). Across subgroup analyses of individual cognitive domains/subdomains, MBPs outperformed comparators for executive function (g = 0.15; [0.02, 0.27]) and working memory outcomes (g = 0.23; [0.11, 0.36]) only. Subgroup analyses identified significant effects for studies of non-clinical samples, as well as for adults aged over 60. Across all studies, MBPs outperformed inactive, but not active comparators. Limitations include the primarily unclear within-study risk of bias (only a minority of studies were considered low risk), and that statistical constraints rendered some p-values unreliable. Together, results partially corroborate the hypothesized link between mindfulness practices and cognitive performance. This review was registered with PROSPERO [CRD42018100904].

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Cognitive ability / Executive function / Meta-analysis / Mindfulness / Short term memory / Systematic review