The Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Applications for Depression and Anxiety in Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Keywords:
mindfulness-based intervention applications, anxiety, depression, smartphone, adulthood, meta-analysisAbstract
This study aimed to analyze the effect size of mindfulness-based intervention applications on anxiety and depression in adults. This research was a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of mindfulness-based intervention applications with various control conditions for depression and anxiety in adults. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus for studies published between 2020 and February 2025. The meta-analysis included seven studies with total 3102 participants and the overall effect size was reported using Cohen’s d, comparing outcomes between the two groups at posttest.
Results: The pooled effect size of mindfulness-based applications for depression was d = -0.58 (95% CI: -1.56, 0.39, p = 0.24, I2 =0.99), while for anxiety, it was d = -0.60 (95% CI: -1.82, 0.61, p = 0.33, I2 =1.00) with high heterogeneity and no statistically significant.
Conclusion: The findings suggested that the pooled effect size of mindfulness-based intervention applications on depression and anxiety was moderate but no statistically significant. However, this study was limited by the small number of studies included, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
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