| Vieten et al. (2018) [56] |
Future directions in meditation research: Recommendations for expanding the field of contemplative science. |
Design: cross-sectional
Aims: to investigate the prevalence of a wide range of experiences. n = 1120 meditators
Inclusion Criteria: current or past meditation practice
Outcome: MEQ30, Extraordinary experiences |
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These aspects of meditation could be crucial to practitioners' psychological & spiritual development
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Could also serve as mediators/mechanisms for conferring benefits.
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They can be subjected to rigorous scientific investigation
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| Munaz et al. (2017) [57] |
The importance of research literacy for yoga therapists. |
Design: perspective |
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Research literacy & evidence-informed practice are essential skills for yoga therapists.
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They should be systematically included in yoga therapy programs.
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Many yoga therapists have limited training in these skills, which negatively impacts inter-professional communication & advancement of yoga research
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| Van Dam NT (2018) [17] |
Mind The Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation |
Design: review mindfulness meditation Objectives: to highlight difficulties of defining
mindfulness, delineates scope of research into mindfulness practices, & illuminates crucial methodological issues for interpreting results from research of mindfulness |
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Various possible meanings of ‘mindfulness’ need to be clarified
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Researchers must adopt nuanced, precisely focused, terminology for referring to various states/behaviours a/w mindfulness.
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MBR must work on construct validity of the practice.
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Sound methodology e.g., adequate outcome measures, good psychometric properties, trial registration would aid in research
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MBI research needs to have uniform & better control; participants need to be sensitized about the potential ADRs with it.
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Advances in contemplative neuroscience should explore mental processes & brain mechanisms of mindfulness practices & report them properly.
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| Davidson & Dahl (2017) [25] |
Outstanding Challenges in Scientific Research on Mindfulness and Meditation |
Design: commentary |
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Methodology issue with the operational definition of the MM or meditation is not unique to MBR but applied to other area of behavioral sciences as well.
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Both self-report measures & implicit behavioral aspects need to be considered in MBR
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Future research needs to expand their horizon to include other family of contemplative practices rather limiting to MBR
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Mindfulness practices have been conceived for attaining a general wellbeing; their utility for various disorders need to be researched contextually
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Greater research is required on the frequency, duration, & spacing of the mindfulness practices & how it can be piggybacked with ADLs for its wider dissemination
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Power of mobile technology can be harnessed in both disseminating contemplative training & its assessment
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These issues are germane to both basic & clinical research studies.
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Also, it has important bearing on the future scientific investigation of mindfulness & meditation
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| Davidson & Kaszniak (2015) [26] |
Conceptual & Methodological Issues in Research on Mindfulness & Meditation. |
Design: review |
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State & trait effect of the MM & their interactions along with practitioner's personality & expectations, compliance with the practices must be studied as they are crucial determinants of efficacy
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Many practices are subsumed under MM though the extent of practice differ
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The experiential account of the practitioner can be strengthened by incorporating second & third persons' account
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Challenges are also posed by research designs where double-blinding is not possible: active control, e.g., dual blinding, could evade this limitations.
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Adequate description of the intervention, comparable control arm, credence of the instructors, & fidelity of intervention delivery need to be ensured.
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Similarly, the question of measurability of the mindfulness, what can & cannot be inferred from self-report measures; & utility of contemplative neurosciences are essential.
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Robust study design & data analyses are also crucial.
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Mindfulness-based research is still in infancy
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The methodological limitations can be overcome by robust study design.
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Mindfulness-based intervention should be tested both for the clinical and non-clinical population with giving due consideration to its conceptual framework
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| Van Dam NT (2018) [58] |
Reiterated Concerns and Further Challenges for Mindfulness and Meditation Research: A Reply to Davidson and Dahl |
Design: commentary |
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Nascent Scientific Fields, incl. MBR, are especially susceptible to methodological Issues, thus initial findings, or mis-findings, can have huge long-term impacts.
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Meditation can cause adverse S/E; even in a small subset of participants, it can matter a lot
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Impact of MBIs on clinical population should be investigated more thoroughly, for former is not traditionally meant for medical conditions, but general well-being.
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Assessing & establishing dose–response curves of the meditation is crucial
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Its impact must be ascertained based on outcome (e.g., alleviation of anxiety, attaining wellbeing)
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For mobile-based system to deliver MBIs & for their dissemination, much research is warranted to establish fidelity of intervention delivery, analyse participants characteristics, etc.
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| Patwardhan AR (2017) [59] |
Aligning Yoga With Its Evolving Role in Health Care: Comments on Yoga Practice, Policy, Research |
Design: commentary |
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Yoga therapists need to calibrate their model of yoga by reducing emphasis on postures & increasing it on meditation & breathing exercises while dealing with clients with chronic health issues.
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Yoga research should be more critical in evaluating yoga's fundamental framework & have reductionist approach.
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Regulatory bodies must extricate injury prone postures from the practice for regulatory purposes, than regulate yoga summarily.
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Insurers should pay for yoga akin to vaccination (paying for initial dose & then booster sessions), this would widen the coverage of yoga & prevent future ill health
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There is certain practice, policy, & research related issues concerning yoga, hence, it should be promptly & adequately addressed for yoga to flourish and bring fruition to the population
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| Field T. (2016) [2] |
Yoga Research Review |
Design: review (Of empirical research, systematic reviews and metanalyses) |
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Overall, yoga has been more effective than control, including waitlist control, for several physical & psychological problems, although results are mixed when compared with other treatment arms e.g., exercise
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Having established the benefits of yoga, conducting a research without active control group, thereby not maintaining research equipoise, raises ethical concerns.
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Shorter sessions should be investigated for cost-effectiveness & for ensuring daily practice.
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Multiple physical & physiological measures, particularly objective measures, need to be added to the self-report research protocols.
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Potential underlying mechanisms of effectiveness of the yoga to be explored.
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There is literature support for yoga as an effective strategy for several medical and psychological problems
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Such interventions van be termed as yoga therapy
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Such interventions van be termed as yoga therapy
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| Uebelacker et al. (2012) [60] |
Yoga for Depression and Anxiety: A Review of Published Research and Implications for Healthcare Providers |
Design: review |
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Preliminary evidence suggests the effectiveness of yoga for anxiety, depression, & PTSD.
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With evidence being strongest for unipolar depression.
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However, there are risks with engaging with yoga as well.
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| Jeter et al. (2015) [29] |
Yoga as a Therapeutic Intervention: A Bibliometric Analysis of Published Research Studies from 1967 to 2013. |
Design: bibliometric analysis of clinical trials based on yoga |
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A three-fold increase in yoga publications in the decade.
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45% are RCTs f/b controlled (18%) & uncontrolled trails (37%)
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Top three disease conditions are mental health, CVDs, & respiratory disease.
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Research suffers from the methodological limitations (e.g., insufficient sample size).
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The research also suffers from publication biases with uncontrolled & poor quality studies getting published in traditional journals.
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The use of yoga as a complementary Tt in clinical practice may lead to health benefits beyond traditional Tt alone.
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Determining the suitability & content of yoga for a specific condition/patient poses challenge for evidence-based integrative medical practice
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However, to effect changes in health care policy, greater high-quality, evidence-based research is required.
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| Cook-cottone et al. (2013) [61] |
Dosage as a critical variable in yoga therapy research. |
Design: perspective |
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Considerable variability exists about the optimum dosage/duration of yoga to be effective (range 4–32wks, median 8wks)
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Until empirically meaningful dosages, incl. length & frequency of sessions & longitudinal duration of practice are found, clinical guidelines would be arbitrary
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Home practice contributes substantially to the benefits of yoga practice, which often remains unaccounted
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Therapeutic dosage is a critical component of yoga intervention research.
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Empirically supported guidelines are required to establish best practices for research & to create clinical recommendations for effective use
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| Josipovic Z (2010) [22] |
Duality and nonduality in meditation research |
Design: commentary |
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There is a taxonomical concern with the classification of the meditation: FA, OM, & AT types
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A dualistic & non-dualistic classification of meditation for cognitive neurosciences & research is more pragmatic, albeit with some research-related limitations.
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A multidimensional construct involving targeted states of consciousness; duality to nonduality scale; stages of expertise; cognitive processes; & objects of meditation is better
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There is an overlap among the different meditation types concerning EEG changes.
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Hence, formers' utility in meditation categorization needs to be further studied
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| Park et al. (2015) [62] |
Comparison groups in yoga research: a systematic review and critical evaluation of the literature |
Design: systematic review |
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n = 128 RCTs
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65 included only a passive control while 63 included at least one active comparator
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Primary comparison groups: physical exercise (43%), meditation/relaxation (20%), & general education (16%)
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Literature rarely provides the rationale for the choice of the a particular comparator
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Notably, use of active controls in yoga research seems to be gradually increasing over time
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Considering that yoga has been established as a potentially effective intervention, future research should endeavour having active control groups
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Furthermore, care is needed to select a robust comparison conditions that help to identify the specific mechanisms underlying yoga's effects
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| Goyal et al. (2014) [3] |
Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis |
Design: systematic review & Meta-analysis |
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n = 47 trials with 3515 participants
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MM programs had moderate level of evidence for improving anxiety, depression, & pain at 8 weeks to 3–6 months.
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Low evidence of improved stress/distress & mental health–related quality of life
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No effect or insufficient evidence of any effect on positive mood, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep, & weight
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Meditation programs did not fare better than drugs, exercises, & other behaviour Therapy
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Clinicians ought be prepared to convey their patients about the potential role of the meditation program could have in addressing their psychological stress.
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Robust study designs are required to elucidate the impact of meditation programs in improving the positive dimensions of psychological health and measures of stress.
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| Sedlmeier et al. (2012) [16] |
The psychological effects of meditation: a meta-analysis |
Design: systematic review & Meta-analysis |
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Majority of the studies were excluded d/t methodological issues
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Most studies were conducted without theoretical background
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Mediation-based interventions had moderate effect sizes
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Results were strongest (medium-large) for changes in emotionality & relationship problems, less strong (medium) for measures of attention, & weakest (small-medium) for cognitive measures.
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| Awasthi B. (2013) [14] |
Issues and Perspectives in Meditation Research: In Search for a Definition |
Design: commentary |
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A wide array of techniques & methods are collectively termed as “meditation” with mixed and at times conflicting findings reported within the contemplative neurosciences
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There is the lack of philosophical grounding for the neuroscience of meditation.
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For instance, modern neurosciences considers it in light of mind-body dichotomy, however, traditional meditation ontology sees it as non-dual entity.
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Lack of sound definition results in methodological limitations, including replication of the studies.
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Also, results in non-elucidation of its mechanism of action for neuro-cognitive-behavioural changes.
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Paying due attention to the contextual & inception of meditation traditions is vital
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1st person methodologies should be integrated with the 3rd person methodologies of neurosciences
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Specific outcome measures should be assessed for the different phases & types of the meditation
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An integration of traditional ontology, 1st person phenomenological accounts & neuroscientific findings will facilitate the development of more comprehensive models of the mind for neurocognitive research with the contemplative traditions.
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| Davidson RJ (2010) [15] |
Empirical explorations of mindfulness: Conceptual and methodological conundrums |
Design: commentary |
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The use of the term “mindfulness” has varied substantially across the articles, ranging being a state to trait to an independent variable
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Measures of the mindfulness, duration, and adequate comparison group related issues have been the consistent methodological concerns
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| Larkey L. (2021) [40] |
Meditative Movement as a Category of Exercise: Implications for Research |
Design: review (on Meditative Movement e.g., Tai-chi, Qigong, etc.) |
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Relevant dimensions of Meditative Movement, e.g., frequency, duration, type of movement, degree of exertion, breathing type, etc. are recommended to be succinctly described & measured.
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To consistently define the category across studies & illuminate how Meditative Movement may affect health outcomes in similar, & perhaps different, ways than conventional exercise.
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| Lustyk et al. (2009) [37] |
Mindfulness meditation research: issues of participant screening, safety procedures, and researcher training |
Design: review |
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Mental health- followed by physical & spiritual health consequences are common S/E with MM.
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Despite this, most research do not describe, or even consider them.
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Research participants/patients should be thoroughly medically examined before enrolling in MBI
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|
| Grossman P. (2008) [41] |
On measuring mindfulness in psychosomatic and psychological research |
Design: commentary |
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Definition of mindfulness has been varied across the studies.
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Denominator of “present-moment awareness of perceptible experience” might, at first consideration, seem feasible; but suffers from reductionism
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The inventories used to measure mindfulness vary substantially, therefore, there is a poor correlation among them
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The measuring instruments also suffer from semantic confusion
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Valid & reliable instrument are lacking that would objectively measure the mindfulness.
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Mindfulness inventories may be hampered by serious limitations of construct validity
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Qualitative analysis of the experiences of the Buddhist & western practitioners of mindfulness & putative consequences (e.g., general wellbeing) of MM can assist in measuring the level of mindfulness
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It must be appreciated that Buddhist & Western approaches to mind & body differ substantially, thus study of mindfulness- & based intervention should be understood in its traditional framework.
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| Travis et al. (2010) [21] |
Focused attention, open monitoring and automatic self-transcending: Categories to organize meditations from Vedic, Buddhist and Chinese traditions |
Study design:perspective
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Each of the three meditation-categories-focused attention, open monitoring, & aut. self-transcending- represents practices with different degrees of attention control, subject/object relations, & different procedures
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However, TM technique, the most researched of the aut. self-transcending procedures, is often placed under FA
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