Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study
Background Meditation is commonly implemented in psychological therapies since the ‘third wave’ of cognitive–behavioural therapy has increased the focus on mindfulness-based interventions. Although extensive research literature demonstrates its benefits, little is known about potential adverse effec...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-01-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010668/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156914819563520 |
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| author | Luca Pauly Niklas Bergmann Inge Hahne Sarah Pux Eric Hahn Thi Minh Tam Ta Michael Rapp Kerem Böge |
| author_facet | Luca Pauly Niklas Bergmann Inge Hahne Sarah Pux Eric Hahn Thi Minh Tam Ta Michael Rapp Kerem Böge |
| author_sort | Luca Pauly |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
Meditation is commonly implemented in psychological therapies since the ‘third wave’ of cognitive–behavioural therapy has increased the focus on mindfulness-based interventions. Although extensive research literature demonstrates its benefits, little is known about potential adverse effects.
Aims
The aim of this study is to report the prevalence, type and severity of particularly unpleasant meditation-related experiences in the largest cross-sectional study on this topic to date, with 1370 regular meditators.
Method
The participants were asked whether they ever encountered particularly unpleasant experiences as a result of their meditation experience. For the first time, the type and severity of those experiences were assessed and the association with several predictors, such as pre-existing mental disorders, were explored via logistic and linear regression.
Results
Similar to previous studies, 22% of participants (95% CI 20–24) reported having encountered unpleasant meditation-related experiences, and 13% of participants (95% CI 3–5) reported experiences that were categorised as adverse. Those were mostly of affective, somatic and cognitive nature. Unpleasant meditation-related experiences were more likely to occur in participants with pre-existing mental illnesses (P = 0.000, 95% CI 1.25–2.12).
Conclusions
This study demonstrates that unpleasant meditation-related experiences are prevalent among meditators and, to a relevant extent, severe enough to warrant further scientific inquiry. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine whether the unpleasant meditation-related experiences are merely negative and thus should be avoided, or are an inherent part of the contemplative path.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:59:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-61b912a4a8604a3fb26f812f143fa8c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:59:07Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-61b912a4a8604a3fb26f812f143fa8c72023-03-09T12:29:18ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242022-01-01810.1192/bjo.2021.1066Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional studyLuca Pauly0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2618-0145Niklas Bergmann1Inge Hahne2Sarah Pux3Eric Hahn4Thi Minh Tam Ta5Michael Rapp6Kerem Böge7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8263-4936Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany; and Department for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Psychologische Hochschule Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyDepartment for Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Potsdam, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, GermanyBackground Meditation is commonly implemented in psychological therapies since the ‘third wave’ of cognitive–behavioural therapy has increased the focus on mindfulness-based interventions. Although extensive research literature demonstrates its benefits, little is known about potential adverse effects. Aims The aim of this study is to report the prevalence, type and severity of particularly unpleasant meditation-related experiences in the largest cross-sectional study on this topic to date, with 1370 regular meditators. Method The participants were asked whether they ever encountered particularly unpleasant experiences as a result of their meditation experience. For the first time, the type and severity of those experiences were assessed and the association with several predictors, such as pre-existing mental disorders, were explored via logistic and linear regression. Results Similar to previous studies, 22% of participants (95% CI 20–24) reported having encountered unpleasant meditation-related experiences, and 13% of participants (95% CI 3–5) reported experiences that were categorised as adverse. Those were mostly of affective, somatic and cognitive nature. Unpleasant meditation-related experiences were more likely to occur in participants with pre-existing mental illnesses (P = 0.000, 95% CI 1.25–2.12). Conclusions This study demonstrates that unpleasant meditation-related experiences are prevalent among meditators and, to a relevant extent, severe enough to warrant further scientific inquiry. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine whether the unpleasant meditation-related experiences are merely negative and thus should be avoided, or are an inherent part of the contemplative path. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010668/type/journal_articleMindfulnessmeditationthird wave of cognitive–behavioural therapyunpleasant eventsadverse events |
| spellingShingle | Luca Pauly Niklas Bergmann Inge Hahne Sarah Pux Eric Hahn Thi Minh Tam Ta Michael Rapp Kerem Böge Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study BJPsych Open Mindfulness meditation third wave of cognitive–behavioural therapy unpleasant events adverse events |
| title | Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Prevalence, predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators: international cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | prevalence predictors and types of unpleasant and adverse effects of meditation in regular meditators international cross sectional study |
| topic | Mindfulness meditation third wave of cognitive–behavioural therapy unpleasant events adverse events |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472421010668/type/journal_article |
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