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The Effects of Mindfulness Retreats on the Psychological Health of Non-clinical Adults: a Meta-analysis

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Abstract

Objectives

Mindfulness retreats are typically marketed to healthy adult populations as a means for optimizing psychological health. We conducted a meta-analysis of the effects of mindfulness retreats on the psychological functioning of relatively healthy adults.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search using PsychINFO, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar yielded 19 studies. Studies varied in design, sample characteristics, retreat intensity and duration, and psychological outcomes studied.

Results

Many of the reviewed studies lacked methodological rigor. Overall effect sizes (Hedges’ g) for mindfulness retreats relative to control conditions were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.38, 1.18) for mindfulness and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.19, 0.55) for well-being outcomes. In pre-post-retreat analyses, effect sizes were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.61, 0.94) for mindfulness; 0.47 (95% CI, 0.30, 0.63) for well-being; − 0.48 (95% CI, − 0.79, − 0.16) for depression; − 0.67 (95% CI, − 1.03, − 0.31) for anxiety; and − 0.94 (95% CI, − 1.28, − 0.61) for stress outcomes. In an analysis from pre-retreat to follow-up, an effect size of 0.58 (95% CI, 0.39, 0.77) was found for mindfulness outcomes.

Conclusions

These results suggest that mindfulness retreats are associated with improvements in mental health. Limitations, directions for future research, and implications for theory and practice are discussed.

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Funding

The first author was supported by a postdoctoral research training program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA; T32HP10010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1100 Delaplaine Court, Madison, WI, 53715, USA

    Andrew S. McClintock

  2. Center for Healthy Minds, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 625 W. Washington Ave, Madison, WI, 53703, USA

    Andrew S. McClintock

  3. Pitzer College, 1050 N. Mills Ave, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA

    Marcus A. Rodriguez

  4. Stress Trauma and Recovery Treatment Clinic, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC, Box 3026, Durham, NC, 27710, USA

    Noga Zerubavel

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  1. Andrew S. McClintock
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  2. Marcus A. Rodriguez
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  3. Noga Zerubavel
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Contributions

First author: Designed the study, interpreted results, and wrote the paper. Second author: Performed analyses, interpreted results, and wrote the paper. Third author: Designed the study, interpreted results, and wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Andrew S. McClintock.

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McClintock, A.S., Rodriguez, M.A. & Zerubavel, N. The Effects of Mindfulness Retreats on the Psychological Health of Non-clinical Adults: a Meta-analysis. Mindfulness 10, 1443–1454 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01123-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01123-9

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