2026-10-10T18:00:12Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34047820 2026-10-01T17:27:41Z category_7 category_15 category_21 category_45 category_734 category_106 category_122 portal_5 item_type_6 month_year_10_2026

<p>Meta-regression results.</p> Tom C. Gordon (22177071) Andrew H. Kemp (8382396) Josh Hope-Bell (18530333) Darren J. Edwards (15205651) Medicine Neuroscience Biotechnology Sociology Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified Science Policy Mental Health observed across healthy randomised controlled trials psychological flexibility (< g ., act predicted larger short mental health outcomes div >< p moderate immediate post 46 ), quality immediate post substantial across 61 trials 491 ), 46 trials 41 trials 30 ), 130 ), outcomes (< interventions (< g </ yielded small whether changes wave process wave interventions term follow systematic review qm </ process outcomes population type p </ n </ medical samples longer follow k </ january 2026 <div><p>To synthesise the efficacy of digital third-wave process-based interventions (e.g., ACT, Mindfulness, Compassion) for improving wellbeing and ameliorating mental health symptoms in adults. A prospectively registered systematic review (OSF: <a href="https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/5RMU2" target="_blank">10.17605/OSF.IO/5RMU2</a>) and random-effects meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted across six databases through January 2026. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework. Interventions (<i>k</i> = 147; <i>N</i> = 26,391) yielded small-to-moderate immediate post-intervention improvements in wellbeing (<i>k</i> = 46, <i>g</i> = 0.36), depression (<i>k</i> = 110, <i>g</i> = 0.44), anxiety (<i>k</i> = 93, <i>g</i> = 0.40), stress (<i>k</i> = 66, <i>g</i> = 0.46), quality of life (<i>k</i> = 32, <i>g</i> = 0.30), and psychological flexibility (<i>k</i> = 51, <i>g</i> = 0.41). Heterogeneity was substantial across most outcomes (<i>I2</i> > 75%). Benefits were observed across healthy (61 trials; <i>n</i> = 15,770), mental health (41 trials; <i>n</i> = 6,130), and medical samples (46 trials; <i>n</i> = 4,491), with population type not significantly moderating immediate post-intervention effects. Comparator type significantly moderated several analyses, with smaller effects against active than inactive controls. Guidance did not significantly moderate immediate post-intervention effects, although it predicted larger short-term depression effects (<i>QM</i> = 4.17, <i>p</i> = .048). At short-term follow-up, effects remained statistically supported across all outcomes, while only depression, anxiety, and stress remained statistically supported at medium-term follow-up. GRADE certainty was moderate for most immediate post-intervention outcomes and low for quality of life. Digital third-wave interventions produced small-to-moderate average benefits across symptom-focused, wellbeing-focused, and process outcomes. Effects were smaller against active comparators, indicating that pooled benefits should be interpreted in relation to comparator intensity. Future research should prioritise rigorous active controls, longer follow-up, and direct tests of whether changes in psychological flexibility mediate improvements in symptoms and wellbeing.</p></div> 2026-10-01T17:27:31Z Text Journal contribution 10.1371/journal.pdig.0001764.s008 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/_p_Meta-regression_results_p_/34047820 CC BY 4.0