Qigong and mindfulness: research overview

Not medical advice. This page lists research about qigong and mindfulness. It does not say whether qigong works for any person or condition. Talk to a qualified health professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition.

Studies in PubMed

34 (tagged with “Mindfulness” as a major topic)

Years

2015–2026

Registered trials

0 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Types of studies

Each study is counted once, under its strongest type in this order: meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, clinical trial, review, observational study.

Studies, newest first

1. Beyond pain: Impact of movement-based mindful exercises in fibromyalgia. A systematic review with meta-analysis. — Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 2026 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
2. Effectiveness of physical activity, mindfulness and mind-body therapies in improving mental health of university students: a systematic review of RCTS. — Journal of American college health : J of ACH, 2026 · DOISystematic Review
3. Effects of mindfulness-based exercise on Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. — Frontiers in neurology, 2026 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
4. Mindfulness and Tai Chi for Sleep, Fatigue, and Pain in Distressed People After Cancer Treatment: A Partially Randomized Patient-Preference Comparative Effectiveness Trial. — Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2026 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
5. Self-Guided Internet-Based Mindfulness-Informed Stress Management for Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial With Longitudinal Network Analysis. — Journal of medical Internet research, 2026 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
6. Integrating mindfulness and physical activity: a meta-analysis of mindful movement interventions for symptoms of anxiety and depression among university students. — PeerJ, 2025 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
7. Mindfulness and Tai Chi for Cancer Health (MATCH) Study: Primary Outcomes of a Preference-Based Multisite Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Trial. — Journal of clinical oncology : official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 2025 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
8. Start With the Body or the Mind? Differential Benefits of Mindfulness and Qigong Practices for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study. — Cancer nursing, 2025 · DOI
9. Comparative Effects of Exercise Interventions and Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Cognitive Impairment and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors During or After Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-analysis. — American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
10. Effects of mind-body therapies on schizophrenia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. — Schizophrenia research, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
11. Efficacy of Mindfulness Exercises for Primary Osteoporosis Pain and Balance: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. — Orthopedic nursing, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
12. Mind-Body Exercises as an Intervention for Improving Executive Functioning: A Systematic Review of RCTs. — Advances in mind-body medicine, 2024Systematic Review
13. The Effect of Meditation-Based Mind-Body Interventions on Symptoms and Executive Function in People With ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. — Journal of attention disorders, 2023 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
14. Contemplative Psychology: History, Key Assumptions, and Future Directions. — Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, 2022 · DOI
15. Heart rate variability as an indicator of the beneficial effects of Qigong and mindfulness training on the mind-body well-being of cancer survivors. — Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022 · DOI
16. Meditation-induced psychosis: a narrative review and individual patient data analysis. — Irish journal of psychological medicine, 2022 · DOIReview
17. Factors Influencing Preference for Intervention in a Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery and Tai Chi/Qigong in Cancer Survivors. — Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2021 · DOI
18. Taijiquan and qigong as a mindfulness cognitive-behavioural based therapy on the treatment of cothymia in school-age children - A preliminary study. — Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 2021 · DOI
19. A randomized controlled trial on the comparative effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and health qigong-based cognitive therapy among Chinese people with depression and anxiety disorders. — BMC psychiatry, 2020 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
20. Comparing Mindful and Non-Mindful Exercises on Alleviating Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
21. Factors related to dropout in integrative oncology clinical trials: interim analysis of an ongoing comparative effectiveness trial of mindfulness-based cancer recovery and Tai chi/Qigong for cancer health (The MATCH study). — BMC research notes, 2020 · DOI
22. Mindfulness and Meditative Movement Interventions for Men Living With Cancer: A Meta-analysis. — Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 2020 · DOIMeta-Analysis
23. Mindfulness and yoga for psychological trauma: systematic review and meta-analysis. — Journal of trauma & dissociation : the official journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD), 2020 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
24. The Health Promoting Mindfulness or Qigong Educational Programs for Beneficial Lifestyle Changes of Cancer Survivors. — Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education, 2020 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
25. Comprehensive treatment for patients with chronic pain in a 12-step based substance use disorder program. — Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 2018 · DOI
26. Integrative Oncology Trials in the Real World: Assessing the Pragmatism of an Ongoing Integrative Oncology Trial of Mindfulness and T'ai Chi/Qigong. — Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2018 · DOI
27. Mindful exercise versus non-mindful exercise for schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. — Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 2018 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
28. Mindfulness-Based Baduanjin Exercise for Depression and Anxiety in People with Physical or Mental Illnesses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. — International journal of environmental research and public health, 2018 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
29. Prevalence of Mindfulness Practices in the US Workforce: National Health Interview Survey. — Preventing chronic disease, 2017 · DOI
30. Protocol for the MATCH study (Mindfulness and Tai Chi for cancer health): A preference-based multi-site randomized comparative effectiveness trial (CET) of Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery (MBCR) vs. Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ) for cancer survivors. — Contemporary clinical trials, 2017 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
31. Study protocol on comparative effectiveness of mindfulness meditation and qigong on psychophysiological outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer: a randomized controlled trial. — BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2017 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
32. Attentional orienting and executive control are affected by different types of meditation practice. — Consciousness and cognition, 2016 · DOI
33. Multimodal compared to pharmacologic treatments for chronic tension-type headache in adolescents. — Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 2016 · DOIClinical Trial
34. Engagement in mindfulness practices by U.S. adults: sociodemographic barriers. — Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2015 · DOI

Government health information

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health summarizes the evidence on qigong.

Study list: PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), citation data only. Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Data: PubMed (NLM citation data, free to use (abstracts not reproduced)); ClinicalTrials.gov (Public domain (U.S. Government work)); NCCIH (Public domain (U.S. Government work)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.