Effect of kindness-based meditation on health and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: Kindness-based meditation (KBM) is a rubric covering meditation techniques developed to elicit kindness in a conscious way. Some techniques, for example, loving-kindness meditation and compassion meditation, have been included in programs aimed at improving health and well-being. Our aim was to systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence available from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of KBM on health and well-being against passive and active control groups in patients and the general population. METHOD: Searches were completed in March 2013. Two reviewers applied predetermined eligibility criteria (RCTs, peer-reviewed publications, theses or conference proceedings, adult participants, KBM interventions) and extracted the data. Meta-analyses used random-effects models. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included. KBM was moderately effective in decreasing self-reported depression (standard mean difference [Hedges's g] = -0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-1.08, -0.14]) and increasing mindfulness (Hedges's g = 0.63, 95% CI [0.22, 1.05]), compassion (Hedges's g = 0.61, 95% CI [0.24, 0.99]) and self-compassion (Hedges's g = 0.45, 95% CI [0.15, 0.75]) against passive controls. Positive emotions were increased (Hedges's g = 0.42, 95% CI [0.10, 0.75]) against progressive relaxation. Exposure to KBM may initially be challenging for some people. RESULTS were inconclusive for some outcomes, in particular against active controls. The methodological quality of the reports was low to moderate. RESULTS suffered from imprecision due to wide CIs deriving from small studies. CONCLUSIONS: KBM showed evidence of benefits for the health of individuals and communities through its effects on well-being and social interaction. Further research including well-conducted large RCTs is warranted.
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Experimental evidence suggests that connection practices increase well-being and decrease psychological symptoms.
“Experimental evidence suggests that connection practices increase well-being and decrease psychological symptoms [8,60].”
From Testing the efficacy of a multicomponent, self-guided, smartphone-based meditation app: Three-armed randomized controlled trial (2020) · cites this paper as [8]
The Main results section reports that kindness-based meditation can increase positive emotions and reduce depression compared with passive controls, supporting the claim's cautious wording. But the findings are inconsistent: quality of life and life satisfaction did not significantly improve, and evidence for reduced anxiety and stress was mixed. The source studies kindness-based meditation, not connection practices generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMeta-analyses involving hundreds of RCTs suggest that meditation training can decrease psychological symptoms and increase aspects of well-being and positive functioning.
“Meta-analyses involving hundreds of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggest that meditation training can decrease psychological symptoms (eg, depression, anxiety, stress) and increase aspects of well-being and positive functioning (eg, meaning in life, compassion, prosocial behavior) [6-15].”
From Testing the efficacy of a multicomponent, self-guided, smartphone-based meditation app: Three-armed randomized controlled trial (2020) · cites this paper as [8]
The Abstract reports that this meta-analysis included 22 studies and found that kindness-based meditation reduced self-reported depression and increased compassion and self-compassion compared with passive controls. The Effects of the intervention section also reports reduced stress, but mixed findings for helping behavior. This source supports several examples in the citing sentence, but it studies kindness-based meditation specifically; it does not itself establish the sentence’s broader claim about meditation training across hundreds of RCTs or its example of meaning in life. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLoving-kindness meditation is linked with many psychological benefits, especially reduced depression, improved well-being, and increased social interaction.
“LKM is linked with many psychological benefits, especially reduced depression, improved well-being, and increased social interaction (Galante, Galante, Bekkers, & Gallacher, 2014).”
From Stress and coping in the time of COVID-19: Pathways to resilience and recovery (2020) · cites this paper as Galante, Galante, Bekkers, & Gallacher, 2014
The Abstract reports reduced self-reported depression, and Main results describes encouraging but inconsistent benefits for well-being and outcomes related to social interaction. The claim overstates the social finding: the Discussion says there was no direct evidence that the intervention enhanced social connections. The review also evaluates kindness-based meditation broadly, not LKM alone. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA recent meta-analysis of Buddhist meditation techniques considered a dimension representing 'kindness and social domains' alongside health, well-being and suffering, and concluded that the results for the clinical and social effects of the nine examined studies were encouraging, but inconsistent.
“Recognising that meditation may influence social behaviour, a recent meta-analysis of Buddhist meditation techniques considered a dimension representing ‘kindness and social domains’, alongside health, well-being and suffering17. It was concluded that the results for the clinical and social effects of the nine examined studies were encouraging, but inconsistent.”
From The limited prosocial effects of meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) · cites this paper as [17]
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLKM improves depression, mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, and positive affect.
“a recent meta-analysis found that LKM indeed improves depression, mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, and positive affect (Galante, Galante, Bekkers, & Gallacher, 2014).”
From A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors (2018) · cites this paper as Galante, Galante, Bekkers, & Gallacher, 2014
The Abstract and Conclusions report reduced depression and increased mindfulness, compassion, and self-compassion versus passive controls, plus increased positive emotions versus progressive relaxation. But these are findings for kindness-based meditation as a group of practices, not specifically for LKM; the citing sentence also omits the differing comparators. The Effects of the intervention section reports mixed or nonsignificant results against some active controls. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Previous articles have reviewed the clinical benefits of compassion meditation (CM) and loving kindness meditation (LKM), both of which include a concern with stimulating positive other-centred emotions.
“Previous articles have reviewed the clinical benefits of compassion meditation (CM) and loving kindness meditation (LKM), both of which include a concern with stimulating positive other-centred emotions17–19.”
From The limited prosocial effects of meditation: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) · cites this paper as [17]
Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have tended to focus on one specific type of meditation practice, negative emotions, or self-focused positive emotions.
“Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have tended to focus on one specific type of meditation practice (e.g., mindfulness or LKM; Galante et al., 2014; Zeng et al., 2015;), negative emotions (Hofmann et al., 2010), or self-focused positive emotions (e.g., Zeng et al., 2015).”
From A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Effects of Meditation on Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Behaviors (2018) · cites this paper as Galante et al., 2014
Kindness-based meditation has a moderate effect in reducing depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress, and increases compassion, self-compassion, and positive emotions of practitioners, compared to no intervention.
“4 meta-analyses of 22, 21, 19, and 10 randomised controlled trials show that in comparison to no intervention, kindness-based meditation has a moderate effect in reducing depressive symptoms, anxiety and stress, and increases compassion and self-compassion, and positive emotions of kindness-practitioners 22 – 25 .”
From Kindness as a public health action (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
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References 98 · Cited by 380
Research works printed but not linked: 10
- Carson, J. W. (2006). Loving-kindness meditation findings not related to baseline differences. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 24 (1), 5-6.
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- Authors
- Galante, J., Galante, I., Bekkers, M.-J., & Gallacher, J.
- Affiliations
- Cochrane Canada (CA)
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (AR)
- Cardiff University (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
- Published
- 2014-12
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1101-1114
- ISSN
- 0022-006X (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2117
- OpenAlex
- W1996548000
- Cited by
- 380
- References
- 98
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 44 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 4
- FWCI
- 4.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion)
- Apollo
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- loving-kindness meditation, compassion meditation, depression, mindfulness, compassion, self-compassion, positive emotions, well-being, meditation intervention
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Depression, Empathy, Health Status, Humans, Quality of Life, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Meditation, Mindfulness
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