Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention

Masha Remskar; Max Western; Ben Ainsworth

doi:10.1111/bjhp.12745

Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention

Masha Remskar, Max Western, Ben Ainsworth

University of Southampton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological health; yet the mechanisms of change are underexplored. This pre-registered remote RCT evaluated a freely accessible digital mindfulness programme aiming to improve well-being, mental health and sleep quality. Health behaviour cognitions were explored as possible mediators. Methods: Participants from 91 countries (N = 1247, M _age = 27.03 [9.04]) were randomized to 30 days of mindfulness practice or attention-matched control condition. Measures of well-being, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, barriers self-efficacy, self-regulation and behavioural predictors (e.g., attitudes and behavioural intentions) were taken at baseline, 1-month (post-intervention) and 2-months (follow-up). Linear regression examined intervention effects between and within groups. Longitudinal mediation analyses explored indirect effects through health behaviour cognitions. Results: Three hundred participants completed post-intervention measures. Those receiving mindfulness training reported significantly better well-being (M _difference = 2.34, 95%CIs.45–4.24, p =.016), lower depression (M _difference = −1.47, 95%CIs −2.38 to −.56, p =.002) and anxiety symptoms (M _difference = −.77, 95%CIs −1.51 to −.02, p =.045) than controls. Improvements in well-being and depression were maintained at follow-up. Intervention effects on primary outcomes were mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance and behavioural intentions. Mediating effects of attitudes remained when controlling for prior scores in models of depression and well-being. Conclusions: Digital, self-administered mindfulness practice for 30 days meaningfully improved psychological health, at least partially due to improved attitudes towards health behaviours and stronger behavioural intentions. This trial found that digital mindfulness is a promising and scalable well-being tool for the general population, and highlighted its role in supporting health behaviours.

Original language	English
Journal	British Journal of Health Psychology
Early online date	21 Aug 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12745
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 21 Aug 2024

Data Availability Statement

Supplementary materials are made available alongside this submission. They can also be accessed through the University of Bath Research Data Archive. Full anonymised data and analysis files are available upon request.

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the Medito Foundation team for providing access to their platform; Dr Olivia Maynard and Prof Paul Chadwick for supervision; Dr Emma Cliffe and Miss Emma Osborne for analysis advice.

For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising.

Funding

This work was supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant number 2381338). For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC\u2010BY) licence to any author\u2010accepted manuscript version arising.

Funders	Funder number
Economic and Social Research Council	2381338

Keywords

behaviour change
depression
digital health
mindfulness
self-regulation
well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Applied Psychology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/bjhp.12745Licence: CC BY

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title = "Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention",

abstract = "Background: Mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological health; yet the mechanisms of change are underexplored. This pre-registered remote RCT evaluated a freely accessible digital mindfulness programme aiming to improve well-being, mental health and sleep quality. Health behaviour cognitions were explored as possible mediators. Methods: Participants from 91 countries (N = 1247, M age = 27.03 [9.04]) were randomized to 30 days of mindfulness practice or attention-matched control condition. Measures of well-being, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, barriers self-efficacy, self-regulation and behavioural predictors (e.g., attitudes and behavioural intentions) were taken at baseline, 1-month (post-intervention) and 2-months (follow-up). Linear regression examined intervention effects between and within groups. Longitudinal mediation analyses explored indirect effects through health behaviour cognitions. Results: Three hundred participants completed post-intervention measures. Those receiving mindfulness training reported significantly better well-being (M difference = 2.34, 95%CIs.45–4.24, p =.016), lower depression (M difference = −1.47, 95%CIs −2.38 to −.56, p =.002) and anxiety symptoms (M difference = −.77, 95%CIs −1.51 to −.02, p =.045) than controls. Improvements in well-being and depression were maintained at follow-up. Intervention effects on primary outcomes were mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance and behavioural intentions. Mediating effects of attitudes remained when controlling for prior scores in models of depression and well-being. Conclusions: Digital, self-administered mindfulness practice for 30 days meaningfully improved psychological health, at least partially due to improved attitudes towards health behaviours and stronger behavioural intentions. This trial found that digital mindfulness is a promising and scalable well-being tool for the general population, and highlighted its role in supporting health behaviours.",

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N2 - Background: Mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological health; yet the mechanisms of change are underexplored. This pre-registered remote RCT evaluated a freely accessible digital mindfulness programme aiming to improve well-being, mental health and sleep quality. Health behaviour cognitions were explored as possible mediators. Methods: Participants from 91 countries (N = 1247, M age = 27.03 [9.04]) were randomized to 30 days of mindfulness practice or attention-matched control condition. Measures of well-being, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, barriers self-efficacy, self-regulation and behavioural predictors (e.g., attitudes and behavioural intentions) were taken at baseline, 1-month (post-intervention) and 2-months (follow-up). Linear regression examined intervention effects between and within groups. Longitudinal mediation analyses explored indirect effects through health behaviour cognitions. Results: Three hundred participants completed post-intervention measures. Those receiving mindfulness training reported significantly better well-being (M difference = 2.34, 95%CIs.45–4.24, p =.016), lower depression (M difference = −1.47, 95%CIs −2.38 to −.56, p =.002) and anxiety symptoms (M difference = −.77, 95%CIs −1.51 to −.02, p =.045) than controls. Improvements in well-being and depression were maintained at follow-up. Intervention effects on primary outcomes were mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance and behavioural intentions. Mediating effects of attitudes remained when controlling for prior scores in models of depression and well-being. Conclusions: Digital, self-administered mindfulness practice for 30 days meaningfully improved psychological health, at least partially due to improved attitudes towards health behaviours and stronger behavioural intentions. This trial found that digital mindfulness is a promising and scalable well-being tool for the general population, and highlighted its role in supporting health behaviours.

AB - Background: Mindfulness-based interventions can improve psychological health; yet the mechanisms of change are underexplored. This pre-registered remote RCT evaluated a freely accessible digital mindfulness programme aiming to improve well-being, mental health and sleep quality. Health behaviour cognitions were explored as possible mediators. Methods: Participants from 91 countries (N = 1247, M age = 27.03 [9.04]) were randomized to 30 days of mindfulness practice or attention-matched control condition. Measures of well-being, depression, anxiety, stress, sleep quality, barriers self-efficacy, self-regulation and behavioural predictors (e.g., attitudes and behavioural intentions) were taken at baseline, 1-month (post-intervention) and 2-months (follow-up). Linear regression examined intervention effects between and within groups. Longitudinal mediation analyses explored indirect effects through health behaviour cognitions. Results: Three hundred participants completed post-intervention measures. Those receiving mindfulness training reported significantly better well-being (M difference = 2.34, 95%CIs.45–4.24, p =.016), lower depression (M difference = −1.47, 95%CIs −2.38 to −.56, p =.002) and anxiety symptoms (M difference = −.77, 95%CIs −1.51 to −.02, p =.045) than controls. Improvements in well-being and depression were maintained at follow-up. Intervention effects on primary outcomes were mediated by attitudes towards health maintenance and behavioural intentions. Mediating effects of attitudes remained when controlling for prior scores in models of depression and well-being. Conclusions: Digital, self-administered mindfulness practice for 30 days meaningfully improved psychological health, at least partially due to improved attitudes towards health behaviours and stronger behavioural intentions. This trial found that digital mindfulness is a promising and scalable well-being tool for the general population, and highlighted its role in supporting health behaviours.

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ER -

Mindfulness improves psychological health and supports health behaviour cognitions: Evidence from a pragmatic RCT of a digital mindfulness-based intervention

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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