Table 1.

Summary of Characteristics of Included Studies

Sample
Total N (Mean; Range)	1,714 (66; 29 – 125)
Gender, mean percent	69%
Race, mean percent	68%
Adult studies	22
Age, M (SD), Range	30.58 (10.33), 19 – 48 years
Non-clinical community samples, N	11
College students, N	5
Other, N	6
Child studies	4
Age, M (SD), Range	6.28 (3.45), 4 – 10 years
Conducted in a school setting, N	4
Meditation experience, N
None	14
Experienced meditators	3
Did not specify	9
Meditation Intervention
Meditation type, N
LKM or CM	10
Combined mindfulness and LKM or CM	8 (2 of these included yoga)
Mindfulness compared to LKM or CM	2
Primarily mindfulness	2
Other or did not specify	4
Intervention format, N
Group format	17
Individual format (audio recordings)	5
Both or not specified	4
Intervention duration, N
8–12 weeks	13
4–6 weeks	5
Other or not reported	8
Recommended at-home practice, N	8 (typically 20 minutes/day)
Control Group
Wait-list or no-intervention, N	15
Active control groups, N	5
Both active and inactive, N	6
Type of active controls, N
Education	5
Cognitive tasks (e.g., cognitive reappraisal)	4
Group discussion	2
Outcome Measures
Subjective/self-reported, N	12
Objective/observable, N	7
Both subjective and objective, N	7
Validated self-report measures, N	15
Type of objective measure, N
Non-conscious or automatic responding	6
Computerized donation tasks	3
Real-time helping behavior	3
Peer-rated pro-sociality	3

Note. 26 studies were included. Gender and race are based on n=13 studies because the other 13 did not report these demographics. Type of objective outcomes sum higher than 14 because one study used two types of objective outcomes.