This PRISMA-guided systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on mindfulness levels in Arab populations, including 30 peer-reviewed RCTs and quasi-experimental studies published between 2015 and July 2025, drawn from eight databases including Arabic-language sources.
All 30 included studies reported improvements in mindfulness after intervention, but effect sizes varied widely — from negligible/small to implausibly large. The largest effect sizes came mainly from studies with small samples, quasi-experimental designs, and locally developed or poorly validated measures.
- No meta-analysis was performed, so effect sizes cannot be pooled or compared statistically. - Included studies relied heavily on quasi-experimental designs and unvalidated Arabic measures, inflating apparent effect sizes. - Cultural adaptation of MBIs for Arab/Muslim contexts was inconsistent across studies, limiting generalizability.
MBIs appear to improve mindfulness in Arab populations, but clinicians should treat effect size claims cautiously — especially from small, non-randomized studies using unvalidated tools. Prioritize programs using validated Arabic measures and rigorous RCT designs when selecting or evaluating MBIs for Arab patients.
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