Table 2.

Databases and research strategy.

Databases	Search strategy
PubMed	((Meditation[MeSH Major Topic]) OR (Meditation[Title/Abstract]) OR (Transcendental Meditation[Title/Abstract]) OR (Mindfulness[Title/Abstract]) OR (Mindful[Title/Abstract])) AND ((Depression[MeSH Major Topic]) OR (Emotional Depression[Title/Abstract]) OR (Symptom, Depressive[Title/Abstract]) OR (Depressive Symptom[Title/Abstract]) OR (Depressive Symptoms[Title/Abstract])) AND ((RCT[Title/Abstract]) OR (Randomized controlled trial[Title/Abstract])) Refined by: 2020–2023
Embase	('meditation'/exp OR meditation OR 'transcendental meditation':ti,ab,kw OR mindfulness:ti,ab,kw OR mindful:ti,ab,kw) AND ('depresison' OR 'depressive symptoms':ti,ab,kw OR 'depressive symptom':ti,ab,kw OR 'symptom, depressive':ti,ab,kw OR 'emotional depression':ti,ab,kw) AND [randomized controlled trial]/lim AND [2020–2023]/py
Web of Science	TS = (meditation OR Transcendental Meditation OR Mindfulness OR Mindful) AND TS = (depression OR Depressive Symptoms OR Depressive Symptom OR Symptom, Depressive OR Emotional Depression) AND TS = (RCT OR randomized control trial) Refined by: Date: 2020–2023
Scopus	(TITLE-ABS-KEY (transcendental AND meditation) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (meditation) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (mindfulness) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (mindful) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (depressive AND symptoms) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (depressive AND symptom) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (symptom, AND depressive) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (emotional AND depression) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (depression) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (rct) OR TITLE-ABS-KEY (randomized AND control AND trial)) AND PUBYEAR > 2019 AND PUBYEAR < 2024 AND (LIMIT-TO (DOCTYPE, "re")) Refined by: 2020–2023