App-based mindfulness meditation reduces stress in novice meditators: a randomized controlled trial of headspace using ecological momentary assessment

Abstract

Background: App-based mindfulness meditation programs have shown mixed effects in reducing stress levels. These studies have typically relied on limited assessments of dimensions of stress and on pre-post designs to detect effects. Purpose: This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of the mindfulness meditation app Headspace on reducing subjective stress, stressor appraisals, perceived coping, and perseverative cognitions. It tested stress-reducing effects in everyday life throughout an eight-week intervention period. Method: Non-faculty employees (n = 138; age M = 38.19; 75.36% female; 54.5% White, 27.54% Hispanic; 51.45% with a professional degree) from a university in California’s Central Valley were randomized into either the Headspace condition (instructed to complete 10 minutes of meditation daily) or wait-list (inactive) control group. Participants completed ecological momentary assessments of stress five times a day for four consecutive days at baseline, at two and five weeks after randomization (mid-intervention), and at eight weeks post-randomization (post-intervention), resulting in 6260 observations of stress dimensions. Results: Hierarchical linear models were used to test the interaction of condition by time, revealing significant effects for subjective stress, perceived coping, and perseverative cognitions. By week 2, compared to the baseline, participants in the Headspace condition reported less subjective stress and perseverative cognitions, and by week 5 reported more perceived coping. These effects persisted through week 8. No changes were observed for stressor appraisal. Participants in the control condition reported increases in subjective stress and perseverative cognitions, and decreases in coping, throughout the intervention period. Discussion: Headspace was effective at reducing stress in a high-stress environment. Findings suggest the potential for relatively quick and sustained gains in stress benefits from meditation practice that may help practitioners develop their future programs.