The efficacy of meditation-based mind-body interventions for mental disorders: a meta-review of 17 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials


Author: DavyVancampfort a b BrendonStubbs c d TineVan Damme a LeeSmith e MatsHallgren f FelipeSchuch g JeroenDeenik h SimonRosenbaum i GarciaAshdown-Franks j JamesMugisha k JosephFirth l m

Affiliation: a KU Leuven Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Leuven, Belgium

b University Psychiatric Centre KU Leuven, Kortenberg, Belgium

c South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, London, UK

d Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK

e Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK

f Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Sweden

g Department of Sports Methods and Techniques, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil

h School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

i School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

j Department of Exercise Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

k Department of Arts and Social Administration, Kyambogo University, Kampala, Uganda

l NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Westmead, Australia

m Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Conference/Journal: J. Psychiatric Research
Date published: 2020 Dec 21 Online
Other:
  Special Notes: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.048   ,  Word Count: 251  
    Abstract

There is increasing academic and clinical interest in the potential efficacy of meditation-based mind-body interventions (MBIs) in mental health care systems globally. We conducted a systematic meta-review of the published randomized control trial (RCT) evidence. MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycARTICLES and EMBASE were searched from inception to 06/2020 examining MBIs (mindfulness, qigong, tai chi, yoga) as add-on or monotherapy versus no treatment, minimal treatment and passive and active control conditions in people with a mental disorder. The quality of the methods of the included meta-analyses using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and the methodological quality of the RCTs using AMSTAR-Plus. Sixteen (94%) of 17 meta-analyses had good overall methodological quality. The content validity of the included RCTs was considered good in 9 (53%) meta-analyses. In meta-analyses with good methodological quality (AMSTAR 8≤) and content validity (AMSTAR+ 4≤), large effect sizes (0.80 or higher) were observed for mindfulness as add-on treatment in adults with schizophrenia spectrum and ADHD, and a moderate (0.50≤0.80) effect size for mindfulness as add-on treatment in PTSD. No serious adverse events were reported (n RCTs which assessed events=43, n in the MBI arms=1774), while the attrition rates were comparable with the rates in passive and active control conditions. Our meta-review demonstrates that mindfulness may serve as an efficacious supplement to pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy and can be complementary in healthy lifestyle interventions for people with mental disorders. Meta-analytic evidence of high methodological quality and content validity of included trials is currently lacking for qigong, tai chi and yoga.



Keywords

ADHD depression mindfulness qigong schizophrenia tai chi yoga