A meta-analysis and systematic review of the effect of loving-kindness and compassion meditations on negative interpersonal attitudes

Negative interpersonal attitudes can affect people’s well-being, interpersonal relationships, and cooperation. Overcoming negative interpersonal attitudes is a key subject in loving-kindness and compassion meditations (LCMs). However, the results and study design of previous research on negative interpersonal attitudes have been inconsistent. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize the effects of LCMs and explore moderators through meta-analysis. A literature search was conducted in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ISI Core Collection, Medline, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and PsycINFO databases up to April 2, 2021. Of the 281 identified empirical studies on LCMs, 25 measured negative interpersonal attitudes, and 21 were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the effects of LCMs on negative interpersonal attitudes in daily life were significant both for randomized controlled trials ( g = -.203) and uncontrolled trials ( g = -.539). The instant effects after meditation were also significant in randomized controlled experiments ( g = -.187). Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis and nonsignificant subgroup analysis showed that the results were robust except for randomized controlled experiments. Although no significant moderators were identified, moderator analysis suggested that reducing bias and sending wishes to difficult targets were especially effective, and LCM subtypes might impact the results. Individual studies found that the contribution of meditation practice during interventions was weak. In sum, LCMs have the potential to reduce negative interpersonal attitudes, especially in multiweek interventions. Future studies should further explore the underlying mechanisms and consider the implications of study design features, such as the induction of negative interpersonal attitudes and the targets of LCMs.