This 2014 VA-commissioned evidence map synthesized 81 systematic reviews (up to February 2014) covering a broad range of mindfulness interventions—primarily MBSR and MBCT—across diverse clinical conditions in adults, with priority focus on PTSD, stress, depression, and wellness.
The most consistent effect across all pooled analyses was for **depression** (effect sizes ranged from Cohen's d 0.23 to 0.72 vs. passive controls). MBCT reduced depression relapse risk (RR 0.66; 95% CI 0.53–0.82; 5 RCTs). Positive pooled effects were also found for anxiety, psychological distress, somatization symptom severity, and overall mental health with MBSR and MBCT vs. passive controls. Evidence for PTSD, stress, and pain was limited or inconsistent.
- Evidence map gives a broad overview only; it does not provide definitive effectiveness estimates for any single indication. - Most comparisons are vs. passive controls (waitlist/TAU); head-to-head comparisons with active treatments showed no significant advantage for mindfulness. - Adverse event reporting was sparse or absent across nearly all included reviews.
MBCT has the strongest evidence base for preventing depression relapse in patients with recurrent major depressive disorder (≥3 prior episodes), and both MBSR and MBCT show consistent small-to-moderate effects on depressive symptoms across clinical populations. Evidence for PTSD, stress, and pain remains insufficient to guide practice changes without further research.
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