Table 3.
Reference (Bias Risk) | Sample | Meditation Intervention | Control Group | Intervention dose | Intervention Adherence | Outcome Variables | Results |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashar et al., 2016 (medium) |
N = 58 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 63% F, 81% W, Mage = 28.59 | CM; individual, audio recording | Oxytocin
placebo Strangers’ photos and brief stories |
20 minutes daily × 4 weeks; no home practice | Sessions completed: 74% | (S) Compassion composite score | + |
(O) Charitable donations | − | ||||||
Asuero et
al., 2014 (medium) |
N = 68 PCPs in Spain; 92% F, Mage = 47.00 | MM; group, in person | Wait-list | 2.5 hours once/week × 8 weeks; one 8-hour retreat; “regular” home practice | Retention: 100% Session attendance:
92% Home practice adherence: 85% |
(S) Jefferson empathy questionnaire | + |
Condon et
al., 2013 (medium) |
N = 39 non-clinical adults; non-mediators; 74% F, Mage = 25.23 | MM; group, in person CM; group, in person |
Wait-list | 2 hours once/week × 8 weeks; 20 minutes daily home practice | Session attendance: M = 6.60 sessions Home practice: M = 3.74 practices/week | (O) Giving up a seat for an injured person | + no meditation group differences |
Flook et al., 2015 (medium) |
N = 68 children; 50% F, 59% W, Mage = 4.67 | Kindness Curriculum group, in person | Wait-list | 20-30 minutes 2×/week × 12 weeks | Not reported | (O) Teacher-rated social competence | + |
(O) Sharing task | + | ||||||
He et al.,
2015 (medium) |
N = 55 Chinese college students; non-meditators; 84% F, Mage = 18.5 | LKM; group, video | No intervention | 30 minutes 3×/week × 4 weeks | Not reported | (S) Inclusion of Other in Self Scale | + |
Hutcherson et al., 2008 (medium) |
N = 93 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 57% F, 46% W, Mage = 23.6 | LKM; individual, audio recording | Imagining others’ physical appearance | one 7-minute practice | N/A | (S) explicit attitudes toward others | + |
(O) Implicit attitudes task | + | ||||||
Jazaieri et
al., 2013 (low) |
N = 100 non-clinical adults; 72% F, 71% W, Mage = 43.33 | CM; group, in person | Wait-list | 2 hours once/week × 8 weeks; 15 minutes daily home practice | Session attendance: 98% ≥7 sessions Retention: 85% Home practice: M = 101.11 minutes/week | (S) Fear of compassion scale | + |
Kang et al., 2014 (low) |
N = 101 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 64% F, 61% W, Mage = 25.20 | LKM; group, in person | Discussion about loving
kindness Wait-list |
1 hour once/week × 6 weeks; 20 minutes home practice × 5days/week | Session attendance: M = 4.86 sessions Home practice: M = 553.84 minutes | (S) explicit bias | − |
(O) Implicit attitudes task | + | ||||||
Kang et al.,
2015 (low) |
N = 54 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 67% F, 59% W, Mage = 24.94 | LKM; group, in person | Discussion about loving
kindness Wait-list |
1 hour once/week × 6 weeks; 20 minutes home practice 5 days/week | Session attendance: M = 4.30 sessions | (S) Self-Other Four Immeasurables scale | + |
Keefe,
1979 (low) |
N = 56 social work students | Meditation, not specified | Empathy education No intervention |
30 minutes daily × 3 weeks | Not reported | (S) Kagan affective sensitivity scale | − |
Kemeny et
al., 2012 (low) |
N = 76 female school teachers; non-meditators; Mage = 41.05 | MM, LKM, yoga; group, in person | Wait-list | 42 hours over 8 weeks; 25 minutes daily home practice | Session attendance: M = 6.67 sessions | (O) Emotional recognition task; implicit compassion task; marital interaction task; 5 month f/u | + follow-up: + |
Kok et al.,
2013 (high) |
N = 65 university faculty; non-meditators; 66% F, 83% W, Mage = 37.5 | LKM; group, in person | Wait-list | 1 hour once/week × 6 weeks; daily home practice | Not reported | (S) daily social connectedness; 1-week post intervention | + |
Logie et al., 2015 (medium) |
N = 105 undergraduate students; mostly non-meditators; 67% F, 63% W, Mage = 18.63 | LKM; individual, audio recording MM, individual, audio recording | Read about mindfulness | one 15-minute practice | NA | (S) Self-Other Four Immeasurables scale | + no meditation group differences |
(O) Self/other referential processing task | + no meditation group differences |
||||||
Mascaro et
al., 2013 (low) |
N = 29 non-clinical adults; 45% F, Mage = 31.0 | CM | Health education | 2 hours once/week × 8 weeks; 20 minutes daily home practice | Session attendance: M attendance = 7.38 sessions Home practice: M = 315.9 minutes | (O) Empathic accuracy task | + |
Oman et al.,
2010 (medium) |
N = 58 healthcare providers; 40% meditators; 86% F | Passage meditation; group, in person | Wait-list | 2 hours once/week × 8 weeks | Not reported | (S) IRI; MMRS; compassionate love scale; altruism scale; post, and 8- and 19-week f/u | + follow-up: + |
Pearl et
al., 1994 (medium) |
N = 50 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; Mage = 23.9 | Meditation, not specified | No intervention | Approximately eight weeks | Not reported | (S) Affective sensitivity scale | − |
Poehlmann-Tynan et al., 2016 (medium) |
N = 29 children; 49% girls, Mage = 3.92 | Kindness Curriculum; group, in person | Reading group | 20–30 minutes 2×/week × 12 weeks | Session attendance: M = 21 sessions | (O) Response to someone getting ‘hurt’; compassionate stories; 3-month f/u | − follow-up: − |
Rosenberg et al., 2015 (low) |
N = 60 experienced meditators; 54% F, Mage = 48 | MM and CM retreat; group and individual | Wait-list | 3-month retreat | Retention: 100% Total practice: M = 41 hours | (S) Emotions composite | − |
(O) facial coding during film clips of suffering | + | ||||||
Schonert-Reichl et al., 2015 (low) |
N = 100 children; 46% F, 66% English first language, Mage = 10.24 | MM and prosocial; group, in person | Social responsibility education | 40–50 minutes once/week × 12 weeks | 100% of lessons administered | (S) IRI; Social Goals questionnaire | + |
(O) Peer-reported prosociality | + | ||||||
Shapiro et
al., 1998 (medium) |
N = 78 medical students; 64% F, 79% W | MM, LKM; group, in person | Wait-list | 2.5 hours once/week × 7 weeks; weekly home practice | Retention: 97% | (S) Empathy rating scale | + |
Shapiro et
al., 2010 (low) |
N = 30 undergraduate students; 87% F, 83% W, Mage = 18.73 | MBSR; group, in person | Wait-list | 90 minutes once/week × 8 weeks | Retention: 100% | (S) IRI, Heartland forgiveness scale; 2- and 12-month f/u | + follow-up: + |
Taylor et
al., 2015 (medium) |
N = 59 teachers; 90% F, 67% W, Mage = 47.00 | MM and compassion; group, in person | Wait-list | 11 sessions over 9 weeks (36 hours total); daily practice | Session attendance: Mode = 9 sessions Home practice: M = 12.8 hours | (S) Santa Clara compassion scale; Tendency to Forgive scale; specific person forgiveness | + |
Velasquez et al, 2015 (high) |
N = 125 children in Colombia | Yoga; group, in person | Wait-list | 2 hours twice/week × 12 weeks | Session attendance: M = 17 sessions | (S) Empathy questionnaire | − |
(O) Peer prosociality | − | ||||||
Wallmark et
al., 2013 (high) |
N = 46 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 86% F, Mage = 33.8 | MM and FI; group, in person | Wait-list | 75 minutes once/week × 8 weeks; 30 minutes daily home practice | Not reported | (S) IRI | + |
Weng et al.,
2013 (low) |
N= 56 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 61% F, Mage = 22.5 | CM; individual, audio recording | Cognitive reappraisal No intervention |
30 minutes daily × 2 weeks | Home practice: M = 11.8 days of practice, M = 351.7 minutes total | (O) Redistribution of money game | + |
Weng et al.,
2015 (low) |
N= 56 non-clinical adults; non-meditators; 61% F, Mage = 22.5 | CM; individual, audio recording | Cognitive reappraisal No intervention |
30 minute daily × 2 weeks | Home practice: M = 11.8 days of practice, M = 351.7 minutes total | (O) Redistribution of money game | + |
Note. Results are in reference to the significance of the group * time interaction, such that positive findings (+) indicate significantly greater improvements in the meditation group compared to the control group, and negative findings (−) indicate no greater benefits of meditation compared to the control group. F = female, W = white. CM = compassion meditation, MM = mindfulness meditation, LKM = loving kindness meditation. S = subjective (self-reported) outcomes, O = objective (observable) outcomes. All outcomes were assessed immediately post-intervention and outcomes that were also measured at longer-term follow-ups are noted. IRI = Interpersonal Reactivity Index (Davis, 1994); MMRS = Multidimensional Measure of Religion and Spirituality (Fetzer, 1999).