Clinical Research Directory

The Effect of Loving-Kindness Meditation on Mood and Anxiety Symptoms, Interpersonal Relationships, and Emotions: An Initial Randomized Controlled Trial With a Non-Clinical Sample of Undergraduate Women

The goal of this clinical trial was to examine the effects of Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) on anhedonic depressivity, interpersonal relationships (other inclusive self-concept, willingness to sacrifice, interaction quality) and emotions (positive affect, negative affect). The second aim was to conduct exploratory analyses investigating potential mediators that help explain changes in anhedonic depressivity over the course of short-term targeted LKM. Participants were randomly assigned to receive one week of \~5-minute daily audio recordings of Loving-Kindness Meditation or a visualization meditation, both of which were focused on a same-gender close friend. Participants completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires measuring psychological, social, and emotional variables; participants also completed daily questionnaires.