TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
T2 - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
AU - Witarto, Bendix Samarta
AU - Visuddho, Visuddho
AU - Witarto, Andro Pramana
AU - Bestari, Damba
AU - Sawitri, Brihastami
AU - Melapi, Tando Abner Sivile
AU - Wungu, Citrawati Dyah Kencono
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Witarto et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Introduction Psychotherapies, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), are currently needed to tackle mental health problems. Online MBIs have become promising since face-to-face interventions are limited during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdown and social distancing. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of online MBIs in improving mental health, mainly depression, anxiety, and stress. Materials and methods A systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines on several databases for eligible studies up to October 17, 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane’s Risk of Bias 2 tool. Effect sizes were presented as standardized mean difference (Hedges’ g) between the online MBIs and control groups at post-test and followup using a random-effects model. Results Eight randomized controlled trials involving 868 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled adherence rate to online MBIs was 94% (95% CI = 91% to 98%). The findings revealed that online MBIs had a statistically significant small to moderate effect in reducing depression (g = -0.32; 95% CI = -0.49 to -0.14; I2 = 0%), a small effect on anxiety (g = -0.25; 95% CI = -0.43 to -0.06; I2 = 27%), and a moderate effect on stress (g = -0.62; 95% CI = -1.09 to -0.16; I2 = 83%). In addition, significant small effects at follow-up were observed for depression (g = -0.26; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.04; I2 = 0%) and anxiety (g = -0.28; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.08; I2 = 0%), but not for stress. Conclusion Online MBIs have beneficial effects on mental health, particularly depression, anxiety, and stress, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the limitations of the current study, future trials that specifically consider potential effect influencing factors, longer follow-up evaluation, and methodological quality are warranted.
AB - Introduction Psychotherapies, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), are currently needed to tackle mental health problems. Online MBIs have become promising since face-to-face interventions are limited during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdown and social distancing. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of online MBIs in improving mental health, mainly depression, anxiety, and stress. Materials and methods A systematic literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines on several databases for eligible studies up to October 17, 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane’s Risk of Bias 2 tool. Effect sizes were presented as standardized mean difference (Hedges’ g) between the online MBIs and control groups at post-test and followup using a random-effects model. Results Eight randomized controlled trials involving 868 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled adherence rate to online MBIs was 94% (95% CI = 91% to 98%). The findings revealed that online MBIs had a statistically significant small to moderate effect in reducing depression (g = -0.32; 95% CI = -0.49 to -0.14; I2 = 0%), a small effect on anxiety (g = -0.25; 95% CI = -0.43 to -0.06; I2 = 27%), and a moderate effect on stress (g = -0.62; 95% CI = -1.09 to -0.16; I2 = 83%). In addition, significant small effects at follow-up were observed for depression (g = -0.26; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.04; I2 = 0%) and anxiety (g = -0.28; 95% CI = -0.48 to -0.08; I2 = 0%), but not for stress. Conclusion Online MBIs have beneficial effects on mental health, particularly depression, anxiety, and stress, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the limitations of the current study, future trials that specifically consider potential effect influencing factors, longer follow-up evaluation, and methodological quality are warranted.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138457630&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0274177
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0274177
M3 - Review article
C2 - 36129900
AN - SCOPUS:85138457630
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 17
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
IS - 9 September
M1 - e0274177
ER -