Table 1.
Randomized controlled studies of mindfulness-based programs reporting cognitive outcomes
| Study | Sample size (n) | Mean age (years) | Participants | MBP name and type | Number of sessions | Session duration (mins) | Comparator type# | Assessed cognitive domains# | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive function | Attention | Declarative memory | Cognitive aging | Visual perception | Construction | ||||||||
| Allen et al. (2012) | 61 | 26.5 | Non-clinical | MT3 | 6 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Anderson et al. (2007) | 72 | 39.2 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Bachmann et al. (2018) | 40 | 40.1 | ADHD | MAP2 | 8 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Baird et al. (2014) | 44 | 20.5 | Non-clinical | MC3 | 8 | 45 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Becerra et al. (2017) | 46 | 33.9 | Non-clinical | MP3 | 4 | NR | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Biermann (2011) | 42 | 73.4 | Non-clinical | MM3 | 8 | 45–60 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| *Bowden et al. (2012) | 30 | NR | Non-clinical | MT3 | 10 | 75 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Bubb (2014) | 32 | 82.4 | Non-clinical | mMBSR2 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |
| *Choles (2018) | 58 | 41.2 | Non-clinical | MBEB2 | 10 | 168 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| *Churcher Clarke et al. (2017) | 31 | 80.6 | Dementia | MProg2 | 10 | 60 | TAU | ♦ | |||||
| *Fam et al. (2020) | 36 | 71.7 | MCI | MAProg2 | 12 | 40 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Flook et al. (2013) | 18 | 43.1 | Non-clinical | mMBSR2 | 8 | 150 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| Giannandrea et al. (2019) | 37 | 36.2 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 9 | NR | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| Greenberg et al. (2012); (Greenberg et al., 2013) | 64 | 25.8 | Non-clinical | mMBCT2 | 7 | 120 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| Grossman et al. (2010) | 150 | 47.3 | MS | MBI2 | 8 | 150 | NI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Heredia et al. (2017) | 25 | 21.2 | Non-clinical | rMBTP3 | 4 | 120 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *(Isbel et al., 2019a, 2019b) | 67 | 71.2 | Non-clinical | MTech2 | 8 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Ives-Deliperi et al. (2013) | 23 | 35.4 | BD | MBCT1 | 8 | NR | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Jensen et al. (2012) | 32 | 25.0 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | ||
| *Jermann et al. (2013) | 36 | 46.8 | rMDD | MBCT1 | 8 | 120 | NI | ♦ | |||||
| *Johansson et al. (2012) | 26 | 55.5 | Stroke/TBI | MBSR1 | 8 | 150 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Johns et al. (2016) | 71 | 56.6 | Cancer survivors | MBSR1 | 8 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Josefsson et al. (2014) | 86 | 49.6 | Non-clinical | MM3 | 7 | 45 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Klainin-Yobas et al. (2019)€ | 55 | 71.3 | MCI | MAProg3 | 13 | 40 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Korponay et al. (2019) | 70 | 49.1 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *(Kurmi et al., 2019a, 2019b) | 100 | 63.9 | Non-clinical | MM3 | 38 | 30 | NI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Larouche et al. (2018) | 41 | 71.6 | MCI | MBI2 | 8 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Lebares et al. (2019) | 21 | 28.3 | Non-clinical (medical) | mMBSR2 | 8 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Li et al. (2018) | 30 | 29.4 | Non-clinical | mMBCT2 | 8 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Lymeus et al. (2016) | 35 | 25.5 | Non-clinical | mMBSR2 | 8 | 90 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| *Ma (2018) | 41 | 38.8 | Mild anxiety | mMBCT2 | 8 | 90 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *MacCoon et al. (2014) | 57 | 45.9 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 158 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Manglani et al. (2020) | 40 | 45.7 | MS | MT2 | 4 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Martins (2012) | 24 | 72.0 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Mitchell et al. (2017) | 20 | 38.6 | ADHD | MAP2 | 8 | 150 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Moynihan et al. (2013) | 200 | 73.5 | Non-clinical | MBSR1 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| *Mrazek et al. (2013) | 48 | 20.8 | Non-clinical | MT3 | 8 | 45 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Oken et al. (2010) | 21 | 64.9 | Non-clinical (caregiver) | mMBCT2 | 6 | 90 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *Payne (2017) | 20 | 77.3 | Dementia | mMBCT2 | 8 | 90 | NI | ♦ | |||||
| Quan et al. (2018) | 48 | 19.2 | Non-clinical | mMBCT2 | 7 | 100 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Roeser et al. (2013) | 58 | 44.6 | Non-clinical | MT2 | 9 | 150 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| Rothschild et al. (2017) | 123 | 19.1 | Non-clinical (military) | MM3 | 72 | 30 | NI | ♦ | |||||
| Schoenberg et al. (2014) | 44 | 37.0 | ADHD | mMBCT2 | 12 | 180 | WL | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Schöne et al. (2018) | 34 | 21.1 | Non-clinical | MBAM3 | 6 | 90 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| Smart et al. (2016) | 38 | 69.8 | SCD | mMBSR2 | 8 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| Soler et al. (2016) | 44 | 32.4 | PD | MT3 | 10 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Tang et al. (2015) | 60 | 35.1 | Epilepsy | MBT2 | 4 | 150 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ♦ | |||
| *van den Hurk et al. (2012) | 71 | 49.5 | MDD | MBCT1 | 8 | 150 | NI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Webb et al. (2018)£ | 37 | 19.9 | HIV | mMBSR2 | 8 | 120 | ACI | ♦ | |||||
| *Wells et al. (2013) | 14 | 73.7 | MCI | MBSR1 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| *Wetherell et al. (2017) | 103 | 72.0 | Stress & cognitive disorders | mMBSR2 | 8 | 90 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Whitmoyer et al. (2020) | 74 | 66.4 | Non-clinical | MBAT2 | 4 | 90 | ACI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
| *Zanesco et al. (2019) | 80 | 34.0 | Non-clinical (military) | MBAT2 | 4 | 120 | NI | ♦ | |||||
| *Zhang (2013) | 69 | 25.3 | Non-clinical (pregnant) | MMoth2 | 8 | 90 | NI | ♦ | |||||
| Zhang et al. (2019) | 36 | 22.5 | Non-clinical | MT2 | 8 | 120 | WL | ♦ | |||||
| Zhu et al. (2019) | 48 | 24.2 | Non-clinical | MBTra2 | 11 | 90–120 | NI | ♦ | ♦ | ||||
Sample size (n) only reflects the total participants across the MBP and main comparator arms
1-Main – MBP Mindfulness-based program, NR Not reported. 2-Participants – ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, MS Multiple Sclerosis, BD Bipolar Disorder, MDD Major Depressive Disorder, rMDD Remitted Major Depressive Disorder, MCI Mild Cognitive Impairment, TBI Traumatic Brain Injury, SCD Subjective Cognitive Decline, PD Personality Disorder, HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus. 3-Intervention names – MT Mindfulness Training, MAP Mindful Awareness Practices, MBSR Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, MAProg Mindfulness Awareness Program, MC Meditation Class, MP Mindfulness Practice, MProg Mindfulness Program, MM Mindfulness Meditation, mMBSR Modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, MBEB Mindfulness Based Emotional Balance, MBCT Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, mMBCT Modified Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, MBI Mindfulness-Based Intervention, rMBTP Reduced Mindfulness-Based Training Program, MTech Mindfulness Technique, MBAT Mindful Breath Awareness Training, MBATP Mindfulness-Based Attention Training Program, MBAM Mindful Breath Awareness Meditation, MBT Mindfulness-Based Therapy, MBTra Mindfulness-Based Training, MMoth Mindful Motherhood. 4-Comparator types – ACI Active comparator intervention, WL Waitlist, TAU Treatment as usual, NI No intervention
1Unmodified MBSR/MBCT; 2Modified MBP; 3Generic MBP; *Included in the final meta-analysis; #For the meta-analyzed studies, we only list the domains contributing data to quantitative syntheses; £For this study, data were available for the subsample of participants with individual age ≥ 18 years (some participants were younger), these data alone were included in the review; €For this study, outcomes were reported (i) following three months of weekly sessions, and (ii) after a further six months of monthly sessions. In order to maintain comparability with other MBPs, we only included data from the first timepoint; #Here we list the main comparator included in analyses, additional inactive comparators were included in some subgroup analyses