Clinical & Academic Research

Scientific studies and peer-reviewed research on meditation and mental health effects for readers seeking evidence-based information.

Mindfulness Meditation Research: Participant Screening, Safety and Researcher Training

This page provides a synopsis of “Mindfulness Meditation Research: Issues of Participant Screening, Safety Procedures, and Researcher Training” by M. Kathleen B. Lustyk, Neharika Chawla, Roger S. Nolan and G. Alan Marlatt, published in Advances in Mind-Body Medicine in 2009. The original paper examines the safety considerations that researchers should take into account when conducting studies involving mindfulness meditation.

About the paper

As interest in mindfulness meditation research has grown, the authors highlight the importance of considering potential risks alongside the potential benefits of meditation. They note that, at the time of publication, specific procedures for screening research participants, addressing safety concerns and establishing researcher training standards had not been widely developed or disseminated within the field.

The paper therefore sets out a practical framework intended to help researchers think more carefully about participant safety and the possibility of adverse reactions during mindfulness meditation research.

The authors draw on 17 primary publications and five secondary reports or literature reviews concerning meditation-related side effects. They report that the adverse effects discussed in the literature fell broadly into three areas: mental health, physical health and spiritual health, with mental health consequences being the most frequently reported. 

Key areas discussed in the study

• Participant screening: The authors propose screening procedures to help researchers identify potential contraindications and consider whether mindfulness meditation is appropriate for particular participants.
• Potential adverse effects: The paper reviews reported or described adverse reactions associated with meditation and considers these across mental, physical and spiritual domains.
• Safety procedures: Suggestions are provided for assessing potential risks and putting appropriate safeguards in place within mindfulness meditation research programmes.
• Researcher training: The authors discuss the importance of appropriate training for those delivering or supervising mindfulness meditation interventions, with the aim of reducing the risk of unintended harm.
• Risk assessment: Rather than assuming that mindfulness meditation is universally suitable, the paper encourages researchers to consider the characteristics of their particular study and participants when assessing potential risks.

Why this paper is relevant

An important contribution of this paper is its focus on research safety and methodology, rather than simply examining whether mindfulness meditation produces positive outcomes. The authors argue that careful participant selection, appropriate safety procedures and suitable researcher training should form part of responsible mindfulness research.

The paper is particularly relevant to researchers, clinicians and others interested in the design and delivery of mindfulness-based research, as it provides practical considerations for identifying and managing potential risks. A later methodological review also identifies Lustyk et al. as an important contribution concerning adverse effects, participant assessment and the need for a cautious approach to meditation research.

This page is intended as a summary and introduction to the original paper. For the authors' full discussion, recommendations, references and screening approaches, please refer to the original study using the link below.