Relating Instructional Design Components to the Effectiveness of Internet-Based Mindfulness Interventions: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to identify instructional design components of internet-based mindfulness interventions and assess their association with intervention effectiveness.
Results Summary
More effective interventions included higher levels of supportive information, part-task practice, and just-in-time information, with effectiveness increasing with the level of support. The average duration of interventions varied, but effectiveness was not consistently linked to duration.
Population
Not specified (general applicability to internet-based mindfulness interventions).
Effective Dosage
Not specified (instructional design components assessed, not dosage).
Duration
Varied (3 to 7.45 weeks across studies).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | intervention effectiveness | - | 18 out of 32 | were classified as more effective | #1 |
internet-based mindfulness interventions | decrease | intervention effectiveness | - | 11 out of 32 | were classified as less effective | #2 |
internet-based mindfulness interventions | no change | intervention effectiveness | - | 3 out of 32 | were classified as ineffective | #3 |
internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | effectiveness | - | with the level of support provided by the instructional design components | increased | #4 |
internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | average duration | studies of phase 1 | 7.45 weeks for more effective vs 4.58 weeks for less effective vs 3 weeks for ineffective | differed | #5 |
internet-based mindfulness interventions | no change | average duration difference | studies of phase 2 | comparable average durations of effective (5.86 weeks), less effective (5.6 weeks), and ineffective (7 weeks) interventions | did not extend | #6 |
more effective internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | supportive information | - | scores: 1.91 in phases 1 and 2 vs 1.00 in phase 1 and 1.80 in phase 2 for less effective | included more | #7 |
more effective internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | part-task practice | - | scores: 1.18 in phase 1 and 1.60 in phase 2 vs 0.33 in phase 1 and 1.40 in phase 2 for less effective | included more | #8 |
more effective internet-based mindfulness interventions | increase | just-in-time information | - | scores: 1.35 in phase 1 and 1.67 in phase 2 vs 0.83 in phase 1 and 1.60 in phase 2 for less effective | provided more | #9 |
BACKGROUND: Internet-based mindfulness interventions are a promising approach to address challenges in the dissemination and implementation of mindfulness interventions, but it is unclear how the instructional design components of such interventions are associated with intervention effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the instructional design components of the internet-based mindfulness interventions and provide a framework for the classification of those components relative to the intervention effectiveness. METHODS: The critical interpretive synthesis method was applied. In phase 1, a strategic literature review was conducted to generate hypotheses for the relationship between the effectiveness of internet-based mindfulness interventions and the instructional design components of those interventions. In phase 2, the literature review was extended to systematically explore and revise the hypotheses from phase 1. RESULTS: A total of 18 studies were identified in phase 1; 14 additional studies were identified in phase 2. Of the 32 internet-based mindfulness interventions, 18 were classified as more effective, 11 as less effective, and only 3 as ineffective. The effectiveness of the interventions increased with the level of support provided by the instructional design components. The main difference between effective and ineffective interventions was the presence of just-in-time information in the form of reminders. More effective interventions included more supportive information (scores: 1.91 in phases 1 and 2) than less effective interventions (scores: 1.00 in phase 1 and 1.80 in phase 2), more part-task practice (scores: 1.18 in phase 1 and 1.60 in phase 2) than less effective interventions (scores: 0.33 in phase 1 and 1.40 in phase 2), and provided more just-in-time information (scores: 1.35 in phase 1 and 1.67 in phase 2) than less effective interventions (scores: 0.83 in phase 1 and 1.60 in phase 2). The average duration of more effective, less effective, and ineffective interventions differed for the studies of phase 1, with more effective interventions taking up more time (7.45 weeks) than less effective (4.58 weeks) or ineffective interventions (3 weeks). However, this difference did not extend to the studies of phase 2, with comparable average durations of effective (5.86 weeks), less effective (5.6 weeks), and ineffective (7 weeks) interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that to be effective, internet-based mindfulness interventions must contain 4 instructional design components: formal learning tasks, supportive information, part-task practice, and just-in-time information. The effectiveness of the interventions increases with the level of support provided by each of these instructional design components.