Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Apps in Mitigating Psychological Distress Among Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Mindfulness-based apps are increasingly used as accessible tools to support mental health among youth. The present systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of such apps on psychological distress among youth without diagnosed mental disorders. This study followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and retrieved RCTs published in English through December 2025 from six electronic databases. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias 2.0 tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan Web. Nineteen RCTs were included in the systematic review, and thirteen were included in the meta-analysis. The participants were assigned to either a mindfulness-based app or a control group. Pooled analysis results revealed small to moderate reductions in depression (SMD = − 0.26, 95% CI − 0.41, − 0.12, z = 3.67, p = 0.0002), anxiety (SMD = − 0.19, 95% CI − 0.31, − 0.08, z = 3.42, p = 0.0006), and perceived stress (SMD = − 0.36, 95% CI − 0.55, − 0.18, z = 3.88, p = 0.0001), with sustained effects observed for depression and anxiety over short- to mid-term follow-ups. Exploratory subgroup analyses further indicated that unstructured app formats and passive control conditions were associated with larger effect sizes for depression and perceived stress. Apps with feedback features revealed larger effects on depression than those without. No significant subgroup differences were observed for app program type or intervention duration. Mindfulness-based apps may represent a promising early intervention approach to mitigate depression, anxiety, and perceived stress among youth without diagnosed mental disorders. More evidence supported their effects on specific negative symptoms than on broader mental health indicators, with short-term persistence observed for depression and anxiety. These findings suggest the potential of mindfulness-based apps as low-intensity, low-barrier tools for addressing common psychological symptoms among vulnerable youth. This study was preregistered with PROSPERO (CRD42024585205).