Digital Mindfulness Trainings and Cognitive Functions – A preregistered systematic review of neuropsychological findings

Abstract

Traditional mindfulness interventions have been frequently reported to be effective in improving cognitive functions. In recent years, however, traditional programs are increasingly replaced by technology-enabled mindfulness interventions. The aim of the present systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42021289480) was to evaluate the research evidence on their effects on cognitive functions. Empirical intervention studies in the realm of digital mindfulness trainings fulfilled the inclusion criteria, which led to 19 studies and 1,257 participants being included in this review among PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge. Results support previous assumptions on the potential of digital mindfulness trainings with the most robust effect on attention control, followed by executive regulation and memory, cognitive flexibility, and other cognitive functions. However, the number of studies that did not find significant changes at least equaled, if not exceeded, the number of studies that found increases. The heterogeneity of identified studies prompted us to discuss several aspects in order to help future development of digital applications.