Differential effects of mindful breathing and loving kindness meditations: a component analysis study

Figures & data

Table 1. Descriptive statistics for therapeutic process variables by condition.

Variable	Condition	Time 1 M	Time 1 SD	Time 2 M	Time 2 SD	n
Defusion	MBM	18.38	7.335	12.77	4.11	13
	LKM	16.07	4.83	11.42	2.53	14
	Combined	14.36	7.99	13.64	7.90	11
	Relaxation	16.07	3.34	14.29	4.27	14
	Total	16.28	6.00	13.00	4.87	52
Present moment awareness	MBM	16.08	5.39	22.15	5.38	13
	LKM	17.93	5.31	23.21	3.98	14
	Combined	17.81	5.51	23.72	6.18	11
	Relaxation	16.14	6.05	19.50	6.52	14
	Total	16.96	5.48	22.06	5.65	52
Social connectedness	MBM	14.85	14.78	8.54	8.24	13
	LKM	11.71	13.00	6.93	7.81	14
	Combined	12.81	14.42	10.91	18.25	11
	Relaxation	14.07	7.38	8.14	7.3	14
	Total	13.37	12.27	8.50	10.60	52
Positive affect	MBM	29.08	7.27	37.77	7.32	13
	LKM	29.14	9.52	36.71	6.70	14
	Combined	29.63	8.24	36.09	12.84	11
	Relaxation	31.07	7.84	31.79	9.51	14
	Total	29.75	8.08	35.52	9.22	52
Negative affect	MBM	28.31	6.81	19.31	6.22	13
	LKM	22.50	5.71	15.93	2.67	14
	Combined	22.00	8.31	16.63	9.62	11
	Relaxation	24.21	6.72	18.86	6.76	14
	Total	24.31	7.10	17.71	6.54	52
Self-compassion	MBM	31.38	7.10	42.93	6.58	13
	LKM	31.43	9.47	42.86	5.35	14
	Combined	41.55	8.27	47.27	11.18	11
	Relaxation	30.64	6.44	39.29	6.43	14
	Total	33.35	8.79	42.85	7.76	52
Compassion for others	MBM	28.92	4.07	28.85	3.34	13
	LKM	27.07	7.03	27.07	7.03	14
	Combined	26.91	8.20	28.82	7.51	11
	Relaxation	25.79	6.59	26.36	6.42	14
	Total	27.27	6.18	27.69	6.16	52

Table 2. Descriptive statistics for mental health outcomes by condition.

Outcome	Condition	Time 1 M	Time 1 SD	Time 2 M	Time 2 SD	N
Anxiety	MBM	12.38		3.92	2.14	13
	LKM	10.64	6.13	1.43	0.65	14
	Combined	10.27	8.15	4.55	6.33	11
	Relaxation	9.57	5.42	5.64	5.01	14
	Total	10.71	5.88	3.85	4.25	52
Depression	MBM	22.77	11.32	11.31	9.23	13
	LKM	18.79	10.63	6.14	4.18	14
	Combined	16.45	13.96	12.54	17.3	11
	Relaxation	17.79	8.35	12.87	7.92	14
	Total	19.02	10.97	10.58	10.35	52
Life satisfaction	MBM	22.69	7.13	28.08	5.12	13
	LKM	22.14	7.32	26.36	5.99	14
	Combined	25.10	8.44	26.00	10.42	11
	Relaxation	24.71	6.24	26.29	5.48	14
	Total	23.60	7.15	26.69	6.71	52

Table 3. Condition comparisons for therapeutic processes.

Variable	Comparison	M diff.	Hedges’ g	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
Defusion	MBM v LKM	−0.98	−0.171	Negligible	−2.269	1.928
	MBM v Combined	−4.89	−.851	Large	−3.071	1.369
	MBM v Relaxation	−3.83	−.781	Medium	−2.575	1.014
	LKM v Combined	−3.91	−.838	Large	−2.607	.930
	LKM v Relaxation	−2.85	−.747	Medium	−2.119	.624
	Combined v Relaxation	1.06	.305	Small	−1.013	1.623
Present moment awareness	MBM v LKM	0.79	.124	Negligible	−2.206	2.434
	MBM v Combined	2.72	.031	Negligible	−2.080	2.142
	MBM v Relaxation	0.17	.472	Small	−1.635	2.579
	LKM v Combined	−0.62	−.117	Negligible	−2.131	1.898
	LKM v Relaxation	1.93	.343	Small	−1.679	2.365
	Combined v. Relaxation	2.55	.568	Medium	−1.135	2.270
Social connectedness	MBM v LKM	−1.52	−0.134	Negligible	−4.29	4.03
	MBM v Combined	−4.40	−.432	Small	−4.36	3.50
	MBM v Relaxation	−.380	−.038	Negligible	−3.65	3.57
	LKM v Combined	−2.88	−.325	Small	−3.68	3.04
	LKM v Relaxation	1.14	.131	Negligible	−3.00	3.26
	Combined v Relaxation	4.02	.608	Medium	−1.90	3.12
Positive affect	MBM v. LKM	1.12	.119	Negligible	−3.330	3.568
	MBM v. Combined	2.24	.236	Small	−3.437	3.909
	MBM v. Relaxation	7.89	.839	Large	−2.642	4.319
	LKM v. Combined	1.12	.126	Negligible	−3.249	3.501
	LKM v. Relaxation	6.86	.763	Medium	−2.469	3.995
	Combined v Relaxation	5.74	.638	Medium	−2.775	4.050
Negative affect	MBM v LKM	−2.43	−.339	Small	−2.964	2.286
	MBM v Combined	−3.27	−.462	Small	−3.196	2.272
	MBM v Relaxation	−3.64	−.552	Medium	−2.963	1.859
	LKM v Combined	−0.84	−.138	Negligible	−2.446	2.170
	LKM v Relaxation	−1.21	−.213	Small	−2.256	1.830
	Combined v. Relaxation	−0.37	−.070	Negligible	−2.085	1.945
Self-compassion	MBM v LKM	0.11	.013	Negligible	−3.154	3.179
	MBM v Combined	5.82	.570	Medium	−3.374	4.514
	MBM v Relaxation	2.90	.318	Small	−3.022	3.657
	LKM v Combined	5.71	.602	Medium	−2.993	4.197
	LKM v Relaxation	2.79	.330	Small	−2.714	3.374
	Combined v Relaxation	−2.92	−.293	Small	−4.068	3.482
Compassion for others	MBM v LKM	.353	.085	Negligible	−1.431	1.601
	MBM v Combined	−1.987	−.460	Small	−2.128	1.207
	MBM v Relaxation	−.647	−.168	Negligible	−1.576	1.240
	LKM v Combined	−2.34	−.462	Small	−2.383	1.459
	LKM v Relaxation	−1.00	−.217	Small	−1.872	1.437
	Combined v Relaxation	1.34	.279	Small	−1.543	2.101

Note. Bolded effect sizes indicate a meaningful effect size. Bolded conditions indicate the group demonstrating a therapeutic advantage.

Table 4. Condition comparisons for mental health outcomes.

Outcome	Comparison	M diff.	Hedges’ g	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
Anxiety	MBM v LKM	.75	.141	Negligible	−1.811	2.093
	MBM v Combined	−2.74	−.425	Small	−2.914	2.063
	MBM v Relaxation	−4.53	−.961	Large	−.2685	0.762
	LKM v Combined	−3.49	−.482	Small	−3.226	2.262
	LKM v Relaxation	−5.28	−.925	Large	−2.977	1.126
	Combined v Relaxation	−1.79	−.265	Small	−2.823	2.293
Depression	MBM v LKM	1.18	.097	Negligible	−4.336	4.531
	MBM v Combined	−7.55	−.808	Large	−4.809	3.192
	MBM v Relaxation	−6.46	−.621	Medium	−4.428	3.186
	LKM v Combined	−8.74	−1.045	Large	−4.508	2.418
	LKM v Relaxation	−7.64	−.817	Large	−4.179	2.545
	Combined v Relaxation	8.91	.297	Small	−2.138	2.732
Life satisfaction	MBM v LKM	1.17	.181	Negligible	−2.178	2.541
	MBM v Combined	4.47	.746	Medium	−1.568	3.061
	MBM v Relaxation	3.81	.725	Medium	01.198	2.647
	LKM v Combined	3.30	.547	Medium	−1.740	2.834
	LKM v Relaxation	2.64	.495	Small	−1.422	2.412
	Combined v Relaxation	−0.66	−.144	Negligible	−1.886	1.598

Note. Bolded effect sizes indicate a meaningful effect size. Bolded conditions indicate the group demonstrating a therapeutic advantage.