SynthesisPloS one2022
Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Demand creation and retention strategies for oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention among men who have sex with men and transgender women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC infectious diseases · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2023Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Evaluating a Mobile Health Intervention (GUIDE App) for First Responders, Military Personnel, and Veterans: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Mindfulness-Based Eating Solution (MBES) for Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes in Nutrition Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomised Clinical Trial.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025Trial
- A multisite feasibility randomized clinical trial of mindfulness-based resilience training for aggression, stress, and health in law enforcement officers.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Trial
- Reducing neuroendocrine psychosocial stress response through socio-emotional dyadic but not mindfulness online training.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Trial
- Positive Impacts of a Four-Week Neuro-Meditation Program on Cognitive Function in Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Trial
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on emotion regulation/dysregulation in people with mental health conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.JCPP advances · 2026Article
- A Brief Intervention for the Treatment of Anxiety in Pregnancy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial (The TAP Study).Psychotherapy and psychosomatics · 2026Article
- Co-design of an Online Mindfulness Program for Informal Carers of People Living With Dementia: A Qualitative Study of Co-designers' Experience.Dementia (London, England) · 2026Article
- What participants think about learning Mindfulness-Based Programs online.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Article
- Impact of Face-to-Face and Online Mindfulness-Based Public Health Interventions on Health-Related Quality of Life in Older People: A Comparative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Mindfulness and associated factors in expectant fathers during the initial COVID-19 response: a cross-sectional study.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Article
- Effects of COVID-19 e-mental health interventions: A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Internet interventions · 2025Article
- How to create a mindful community of practice: exploring the social functions of group-based mindfulness practices facilitated via Zoom during COVID-19.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Resilient Stress Reactivity Profiles Predict Mental Health Gains from Online Contemplative Training: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionPsychotherapies, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), are currently needed to tackle mental health problems. Online MBIs have become promising since face-to-face interventions are limited during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdown and social distancing. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of online MBIs in improving mental health, mainly depression, anxiety, and stress. MATERIALS AND
methodsA systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines on several databases for eligible studies up to October 17, 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane's Risk of Bias 2 tool. Effect sizes were presented as standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) between the online MBIs and control groups at post-test and follow-up using a random-effects model.
resultsEight randomized controlled trials involving 868 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled adherence rate to online MBIs was 94% (95% CI = 91% to 98%). The findings revealed that online MBIs had a statistically significant small to moderate effect in reducing depression (g = -0.32; 95% CI = -0.49 to -0.14; I2 = 0%), a small effect on anxiety (g = -0.25; 95% CI = -0.43 to -0.06; I2 = 27%), and a moderate effect on stress (g = -0.62; 95% CI = -1.09 to -0.16; I2 = 83%). In addition, significant small effects at follow-up were observed for depression (g = -0.26; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.04; I2 = 0%) and anxiety (g = -0.28; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.08; I2 = 0%), but not for stress.
conclusionOnline MBIs have beneficial effects on mental health, particularly depression, anxiety, and stress, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the limitations of the current study, future trials that specifically consider potential effect influencing factors, longer follow-up evaluation, and methodological quality are warranted.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.