Factors affecting the acceptability of Mindfulness-based Interventions among older adults: A systematic literature review

Factors affecting the acceptability of Mindfulness-based Interventions among older adults: A systematic literature review | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Factors affecting the acceptability of Mindfulness-based Interventions among older adults: A systematic literature review Elisa Roma, Assaf Givati This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8965573/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objectives: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly implemented to promote psychological wellbeing in later life. Although growing evidence suggests benefits, less is known about the acceptability of MBIs to older adults. Acceptability is often inferred from users’ attendance or adherence, which may overlook the cognitive and emotional factors shaping it. This review investigates the factors shaping older adults’ acceptability of MBIs to understand what enables or limits their engagement. Methods: Following PRISMA-2000 guidelines, a systematic review was conducted across the databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus. Studies involving older adults and examining the acceptability of MBIs were identified and then analysed using the lens of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, a model for assessing how appropriate people view new healthcare interventions based on anticipated or experienced cognitive and emotional responses to the intervention. This framework encompasses seven constructs: affective attitude, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, perceived effectiveness and self-efficacy. Results: Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Acceptability was shaped by affective attitudes , calm and social connection; perceived effectiveness , improved mood and sleep; and ethicality , alignment with values and purpose. MBIs were associated with mechanisms for coping and regulating emotions and perceived as requiring manageable effort. Conclusions: MBIs are acceptable to older adults when tailored to their cognitive, physical and social capacities. As non-pharmacological approaches, they promote wellbeing and align with positive ageing principles by improving connection, meaning and resilience. The TFA offers a robust framework for exploring acceptability of MBIs in this population. mindfulness-based interventions older adults ageing acceptability Theoretical Framework of Acceptability Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8965573","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":606500905,"identity":"53097d95-cd25-4953-9e80-1a58a69ff5d2","order_by":0,"name":"Elisa Roma","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Elisa","middleName":"","lastName":"Roma","suffix":""},{"id":606500906,"identity":"ed6d8023-86ce-44ae-8326-edaf918679b3","order_by":1,"name":"Assaf Givati","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA7UlEQVRIie2RMQrCMBRAPxTq8iFrRNErRARxEL2KUnDqARxUPIDg6uBhfgm0S6BrxkrBySGjo4kdnIwdBfOWhJBH3icAgcCvsgFAt5Ih6DdH9EVRLyWC7EyN20oBp0TYRmGn4mpzdn1RlJmcqTlCR1YRqs8K1+mYExQoVAIy1QkCrkWE2hOlEXoGcuwenGLIhqW20Hw2hmVRP8gppxrk1Cns7lcELSc2bIuM21dAW4W7VzxhI51OpiTIKrXIjirBmN9EdvGMP7Bhmjb7RcxWtXnk8wFjybW6557xmzz53sfw/SMd+xZ3AoFA4G95Ap5CU6ZjEJsTAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"King’s College London","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Assaf","middleName":"","lastName":"Givati","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-25 09:08:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8965573/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8965573/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105956004,"identity":"fcfb0e30-d3b9-4821-a8bb-2f6d91992ab9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-01 20:19:46","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":800670,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptMindfulnessjournal230226.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8965573/v1_covered_4112ab21-2a29-46bd-8eee-215fdac6014a.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFactors affecting the acceptability of Mindfulness-based Interventions among older adults: A systematic literature review\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"mindfulness-based interventions, older adults, ageing, acceptability, Theoretical Framework of Acceptability","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8965573/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8965573/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjectives: \u003c/strong\u003eMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly implemented to promote psychological wellbeing in later life. Although growing evidence suggests benefits, less is known about the acceptability of MBIs to older adults. Acceptability is often inferred from users’ attendance or adherence, which may overlook the cognitive and emotional factors shaping it. This review investigates the factors shaping older adults’ acceptability of MBIs to understand what enables or limits their engagement.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods: \u003c/strong\u003eFollowing PRISMA-2000 guidelines, a systematic review was conducted across the databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, and Scopus. Studies involving older adults and examining the acceptability of MBIs were identified and then analysed using the lens of the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, a model for assessing how appropriate people view new healthcare interventions based on anticipated or experienced cognitive and emotional responses to the intervention. This framework encompasses seven constructs: affective attitude, burden, ethicality, intervention coherence, opportunity costs, perceived effectiveness and self-efficacy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Acceptability was shaped by \u003cem\u003eaffective attitudes\u003c/em\u003e, calm and social connection; \u003cem\u003eperceived\u003c/em\u003e \u003cem\u003eeffectiveness\u003c/em\u003e, improved mood and sleep; and \u003cem\u003eethicality\u003c/em\u003e, alignment with values and purpose. MBIs were associated with mechanisms for coping and regulating emotions and perceived as requiring manageable effort.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusions:\u003c/strong\u003e MBIs are acceptable to older adults when tailored to their cognitive, physical and social capacities. 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