The effectiveness of mindfulness-based meditation treatments for late life anxiety: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Objective

Older adults are interested in mindfulness-based interventions with a meditation component for late life anxiety. This review examined the effectiveness of existing mindfulness-based interventions with a meditation component.

Methods

This systematic review was registered with the Joanna Briggs Institute on 2021-05-17, was guided by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and followed the PRISMA framework. Peer-reviewed randomized control trials were reviewed. A systematic literature search was conducted, using the following databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, CINAHL (EBSCO), and AMED.

Results

Of 2709 studies screened, seven eligible randomized controlled trials were included representing 355 participants. Sample sizes ranged from 36 to 141. Mindfulness-based meditation interventions used varied. Regardless of the mindfulness-based meditation intervention used, a reduction in symptoms of anxiety in participants was reported post-intervention. Results are reported through narrative summary and tables.

Conclusions

Based on the emerging literature of randomized controlled trials, mindfulness-based interventions with a meditation component appear to be promising in reducing symptoms of anxiety in older adults. These findings demonstrate a need for further randomized controlled trials to guide clinical practice.

Keywords:

• Aging
• anxiety
• mental health
• mindfulness-based interventions

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Sandra McKeown, Queen’s University Librarian.

This systematic review counts toward the first author’s PhD dissertation.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Mitacs Research Training Award Grant #IT22654 awarded.