Effectiveness of Mantra-Based Meditation on Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Yolanda Álvarez-Pérez, Amado Rivero-Santana, Lilisbeth Perestelo-Pérez, Andrea Duarte-Díaz, Vanesa Ramos-García, Ana Toledo-Chávarri, Alezandra Torres-Castaño, Beatriz León-Salas, Diego Infante-Ventura, Nerea González-Hernández, Leticia Rodríguez-Rodríguez and Pedro Serrano-Aguilar
Additional contact information
Yolanda Álvarez-Pérez: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Amado Rivero-Santana: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Lilisbeth Perestelo-Pérez: Evaluation Unit (SESCS), Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Andrea Duarte-Díaz: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Vanesa Ramos-García: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Ana Toledo-Chávarri: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Alezandra Torres-Castaño: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Beatriz León-Salas: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Diego Infante-Ventura: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Nerea González-Hernández: Research Network on Health Services in Chronic Diseases (REDISSEC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Leticia Rodríguez-Rodríguez: Canary Islands Health Research Institute Foundation (FIISC), 38109 Tenerife, Spain
Pedro Serrano-Aguilar: Evaluation Unit (SESCS), Canary Islands Health Service (SCS), 38109 Tenerife, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-18

Abstract: Background: Meditation is defined as a form of cognitive training that aims to improve attentional and emotional self-regulation. This systematic review aims to evaluate the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of mantra-based meditation techniques (MBM), in comparison to passive or active controls, or other active treatment, for the management of mental health symptoms. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO databases were consulted up to April 2021. Randomised controlled trials regarding meditation techniques mainly based on the repetition of mantras, such as transcendental meditation or others, were included. Results: MBM, compared to control conditions, was found to produce significant small-to-moderate effect sizes in the reduction of anxiety (g = −0.46, IC95%: −0.60, −0.32; I 2 = 33%), depression (g = −0.33, 95% CI: −0.48, −0.19; I 2 = 12%), stress (g = −0.45, 95% CI: −0.65, −0.24; I 2 = 46%), post-traumatic stress (g = −0.59, 95% CI: −0.79, −0.38; I 2 = 0%), and mental health-related quality of life (g = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.49; I 2 = 0%). Conclusions: MBM appears to produce small-to-moderate significant reductions in mental health; however, this evidence is weakened by the risk of study bias and the paucity of studies with psychiatric samples and long-term follow-up.

Keywords: mantra-based meditation; mental health; systematic review; meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3380/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/6/3380/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:6:p:3380-:d:770228

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().