Headspace Review

In a randomized controlled trial, 95 participants were randomly assigned to use either Headspace (n = 54) or a brain training app, Lumosity (n = 41) for 30 days. The Headspace 65% female with a mean age of 41.4 years, and the Lumosity group was 71% female with a mean age of 43.4 years. Mind wandering and dispositional mindfulness were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results showed significant reductions in mind wandering and significant increases in dispositional mindfulness in the mindfulness training group but not the brain training group. (Bennike, I. H., Wieghorst, A., & Kirk, U. 2017. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41465-017-0020-9)

In another study, participants were randomly assigned to use Headspace (n = 57) or a list-making application called Catch Notes (n = 64) for 10 days. Participants in the Headspace group were 83% female with a mean age of 39.7 years, and participants in the Catch Notes group were 88% female with a mean age of 40.8 years. Results showed significant increases in positive affect and reduced depressive symptoms in the Headspace group, but not the Catch Notes group. No statistically significant differences in satisfaction with life, flourishing or negative affect were found. (Howells, A., Ivtzan, I., & Eiroa-Orosa, F. J. 2016. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-014-9589-1)

A third study randomly assigned women with breast cancer to Headspace (N = 57) or waitlist control (N = 55) over 8 weeks. Participants assigned to Headspace reported higher quality of life, compared with those assigned to the waitlist control. Headspace participants also reported higher dispositional mindfulness. (Rosen, K. D., Paniagua, S. M., Kazanis, W., Jones, S., & Potter, J. S. 2018. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pon.4764?casa_token=hXiB0h6XpT8AAAAA%3AWMscih3gM52BD0aASLdNzGxIscJAMZaPBYOpveK_BHNbqkFNMuCQyTCita0nIOM3v0LaMzHAoefWwgZeAQ)