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The efficacy of a brief app-based mindfulness intervention on psychosocial outcomes in healthy adults: A pilot randomised controlled trial
Pilot RCT (n=38 app vs n=36 waitlist) of 10–30 days' use of the Headspace mindfulness meditation app in healthy adults: self-reported satisfaction with life, perceived stress, and resilience improved versus waitlist by day 10 with further gains by day 30 (largest standardized effect on perceived stress).
Design
- Pilot RCT; Headspace self-guided mindfulness (n = 38) vs wait-list (n = 36)
- Dose: 10 or 30 days engagement; outcomes at baseline, day 10, day 30
- Scales: SWLS, PSS, Wagnild resilience
Headline standardized effects (abstract; vs waitlist at day 30)
- Cohen's d reported ~0.57 (life satisfaction), ~1.42 (perceived stress), ~0.63 (resilience)—largest movement on stress
- Loss to follow-up: 12 participants (9 intervention / 3 control) for unknown reasons
Evidence hygiene
- Industry co-author (Headspace employee listed)—treat as hypothesis-generating; confirm in independent app trials.
- Healthy adults—do not equate effect sizes with clinical MDD programme evidence on
meditation-practice.
Publication
Champion L, Economides M, Chandler C. PLoS One. 2018 Dec 31;13(12):e0209482. PMID 30596696; ISRCTN34618894.
Outcomes
- Effect Size (Cohen's d / SMD)1.42d (Cohen's d)
- Effect Size (Cohen's d / SMD)0.57d (Cohen's d)
- Effect Size (Cohen's d / SMD)0.63d (Cohen's d)