Mindfulness-Based Therapies Show Small Quality-of-Life Gains in Schizophrenia, Review Finds

Adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders often continue to report impaired quality of life even after their symptoms improve, and standard drug treatment does little to address this persistent burden. A new systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined whether mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions could help, and it found a small but statistically significant improvement in quality of life among adults who received these therapies compared with control conditions.

The researchers searched six databases through March 2026, following PRISMA 2020 reporting guidelines, and included randomized controlled trials that compared mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions with control conditions in adults with schizophrenia spectrum disorders when quality of life was measured with validated instruments. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, and nine randomized controlled trials with a combined 567 participants contributed to the primary analysis. The team pooled effect sizes using Hedges’ g calculated with a change-score approach and random-effects models, and supplemented the main estimate with subgroup analyses, meta-regression, sensitivity analyses, risk-of-bias assessment and GRADE evaluation of certainty.

The pooled result was an effect size of g = 0.26, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.06 to 0.46 and a p-value of 0.01, indicating a small improvement in quality of life that reached statistical significance. Between-study heterogeneity was moderate, with an I-squared value of 44.4%. The estimate remained robust when a more conservative estimator was applied, but the 95% prediction interval crossed zero, meaning the true effect could plausibly be absent or even negative in some settings. Among the subgroup analyses, only the availability of follow-up assessment showed a significant between-subgroup difference. The certainty of the evidence was rated as low.

The authors concluded that mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions may produce a small improvement in quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but they emphasized that the certainty of the evidence is low and that the clinical importance and durability of the effect remain uncertain. Because the prediction interval crossed zero, the benefit cannot be assumed to generalize reliably across future trials and patient groups. The review team called for adequately powered trials that use standardized quality-of-life instruments, include active comparators, and incorporate longer-term follow-up, so that researchers can establish whether these interventions have a role as adjunctive components of care. The analysis was preregistered on PROSPERO under registration CRD420261379272, and the review was published in 2026.

Subject of Research: Effects of mindfulness- and acceptance-based interventions on quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Article Title: Effects of Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Interventions on Quality of Life in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Article References: Özdemir, Ö., & Boğahan, M. (2026). Effects of Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Interventions on Quality of Life in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Mindfulness. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-026-03005-3

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s12671-026-03005-3

Keywords: schizophrenia spectrum disorders, quality of life, mindfulness, acceptance-based interventions, meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trials, psychosis, mental health, evidence certainty, Hedges' g, PRISMA