Mindfulness in the Digital Age Research Progress on Digital Mindfulness-Based Interventions

Abstract

With the increasing social pressures leading to a growing prevalence of mental illnesses and somatic disorders, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been demonstrated to be effective in enhancing well-being and reducing perceived stress. Traditional MBIs face constraints related to time, space, and personnel, which not only increase costs but also add to the burden on patients. Digital mindfulness-based interventions (d-MBIs) offer a promising pathway for the scalable dissemination of mindfulness training in the 21st century. Smartphone applications and web-based platforms provide potential advantages over traditional face-to-face formats by enhancing the accessibility, standardization, personalization, and effectiveness of mindfulness training. However, digital mindfulness interventions also encounter challenges such as low user engagement, superficial learning, and suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. This paper synthesizes and reviews recent applications of mindfulness interventions in psychological, physiological, mental, and clinical domains, explores novel models of digital mindfulness-based therapy, and discusses their advantages and limitations, with the aim of further advancing research on mindfulness-based approaches for preventing psychological disorders and diagnosing and treating somatic dysfunctions.