Effects of mindfulness meditation interventions on depression in older adults: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Objective

We examined the effects of MMIs on depression in older adults and explored the moderating effects of participant, methods, and intervention characteristics.

Methods

We systematically searched 15 databases through June 2019 without date restrictions using the following search terms: (mindful* OR meditat*) AND depress* AND (older adult* OR elder OR aging OR senior OR geriatric*). Inclusion criteria were primary studies evaluating MMIs with adults ≥65 years old with depression measured as an outcome, a control group, and written in English. Two researchers independently coded each study and compared for discrepancies and consulted a third researcher in cases of disagreement. We used random-effects model to compute effect sizes (ESs) using Hedges’ g, a forest plot, and Q and I² statistics as measures of heterogeneity; we also examined moderator analyses.

Results

Nineteen studies included 1,076 participants (71.8 ± 5.2 years old). Overall, MMIs showed significantly improved depression (ES=.65, 95%CI 0.35, 0.94) compared to controls. With regards to moderators, Asians had a greater improvement in depression (1.28) than Europeans (.59) and North Americans (.32). Less than 5 weeks of MMIs showed greater improvement in depression (1.47) than longer periods (.55). MMIs with guided meditation reduced depression (.91) more than MMIs without (.42). Only one quality indicator, a priori power analysis, showed greater effects on depression (g = 1.0) than no power analysis (g=.35).

Conclusion

MMIs improved depressive symptoms in older adults. MMIs might be used as adjunctive or alternative to conventional treatment for depressed older adults.

Keywords:

• Depression
• older adults
• mindfulness
• meta-analysis

Acknowledgements

We would like to express sincere gratitude to Drs. Helen W. Lach, Deborah Loman and Devita Stallings, the dissertation committee, for their guidance on prior versions of this manuscript. In addition, we would like to thank you Mary Krieger for her guidance on the systematic search.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).