Improvements in Stress, Affect, and Irritability Following Brief Use of a Mindfulness-based Smartphone App: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Marcos Economides, Janis Martman, Megan J Bell, Brad Sanderson, Marcos Economides, Janis Martman, Megan J Bell, Brad Sanderson

Abstract

Mindfulness training, which involves observing thoughts and feelings without judgment or reaction, has been shown to improve aspects of psychosocial well-being when delivered via in-person training programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Less is known about the efficacy of digital training mediums, such as smartphone apps, which are rapidly rising in popularity. In this study, novice meditators were randomly allocated to an introductory mindfulness meditation program or to a psychoeducational audiobook control featuring an introduction to the concepts of mindfulness and meditation. The interventions were delivered via the same mindfulness app, were matched across a range of criteria, and were presented to participants as well-being programs. Affect, irritability, and two distinct components of stress were measured immediately before and after each intervention in a cohort of healthy adults. While both interventions were effective at reducing stress associated with personal vulnerability, only the mindfulness intervention had a significant positive impact on irritability, affect, and stress resulting from external pressure (between group Cohen's d = 0.44, 0.47, 0.45, respectively). These results suggest that brief mindfulness training has a beneficial impact on several aspects of psychosocial well-being, and that smartphone apps are an effective delivery medium for mindfulness training.

Keywords: Digital health; Meditation; Mindfulness; Positive affect; Smartphone app; Stress; Well-being.

Conflict of interest statement

Compliance with Ethical StandardsAll procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University College London (UCL) Ethics Committee (project ID 2789/001) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. ME, JM, MJB, and BS were employed by Headspace Inc. at the time of conducting this study.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSORT diagram of participant flow through the study

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