TY - JOUR
T1 - A Meta-Analytical Review of the Impact of Mindfulness on Creativity: Framing Current Lines of Research and Defining Moderator Variables.
AU - Hughes, Zoe
AU - Ball, Linden
AU - Richardson, Cassandra
AU - Judge, Jeannie
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to extend our thanks to Professor Paul Sowden, who offered valuable feedback that helped with the progression of the article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/7/13
Y1 - 2023/7/13
N2 - Findings relating to the impact of mindfulness interventions on creative performance remain inconsistent, perhaps because of discrepancies between study designs, including variability in the length of mindfulness interventions, the absence of control groups or the tendencies to explore creativity as one unitary construct. To derive a clearer understanding of the impact that mindfulness interventions may exert on creative performance, two meta-analytical reviews were conducted, drawing respectively on studies using a control group design (n = 20) and studies using a pretest–posttest design (n = 17). A positive effect was identified between mindfulness and creativity, both for control group designs (d = 0.42, 95% CIs [0.29, 0.54]) and pretest–posttest designs (d = 0.59, 95% CIs [0.38, 0.81]). Subgroup analysis revealed that intervention length, creativity task (i.e., divergent vs. convergent thinking tasks) and control group type, were significant moderators for control group studies, whereas only intervention length was a significant moderator for pretest–posttest studies. Overall, the findings support the use of mindfulness as a tool to enhance creative performance, with more advantageous outcomes for convergent as opposed to divergent thinking tasks. We discuss the implications of study design and intervention length as key factors of relevance to future research aimed at advancing theoretical accounts of the relationship between mindfulness and creativity.
AB - Findings relating to the impact of mindfulness interventions on creative performance remain inconsistent, perhaps because of discrepancies between study designs, including variability in the length of mindfulness interventions, the absence of control groups or the tendencies to explore creativity as one unitary construct. To derive a clearer understanding of the impact that mindfulness interventions may exert on creative performance, two meta-analytical reviews were conducted, drawing respectively on studies using a control group design (n = 20) and studies using a pretest–posttest design (n = 17). A positive effect was identified between mindfulness and creativity, both for control group designs (d = 0.42, 95% CIs [0.29, 0.54]) and pretest–posttest designs (d = 0.59, 95% CIs [0.38, 0.81]). Subgroup analysis revealed that intervention length, creativity task (i.e., divergent vs. convergent thinking tasks) and control group type, were significant moderators for control group studies, whereas only intervention length was a significant moderator for pretest–posttest studies. Overall, the findings support the use of mindfulness as a tool to enhance creative performance, with more advantageous outcomes for convergent as opposed to divergent thinking tasks. We discuss the implications of study design and intervention length as key factors of relevance to future research aimed at advancing theoretical accounts of the relationship between mindfulness and creativity.
KW - Creative performance
KW - Meta-analysis
KW - Mindfulness
KW - Moderator variables
KW - Review
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164953193&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/f90b7182-ac4b-3c54-b048-9bf1b55f5a1b/
U2 - 10.3758/s13423-023-02327-w
DO - 10.3758/s13423-023-02327-w
M3 - Article
VL - 30
SP - 2155
EP - 2186
JO - Psychonomic Bulletin and Review
JF - Psychonomic Bulletin and Review
SN - 1069-9384
IS - 6
ER -