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Review
. 2025 Jun;27(6):393-407.
doi: 10.1007/s11920-025-01608-6. Epub 2025 Jun 3.

Mindfulness Training in Military Settings: Emerging Evidence and Best-Practice Guidance

Amishi P Jha  1   2 , Mary K Izaguirre  3 , Amy B Adler  4
Affiliations
Review

Mindfulness Training in Military Settings: Emerging Evidence and Best-Practice Guidance

Amishi P Jha et al. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Evidence suggests that mindfulness training (MT) may protect and strengthen military service members' attentional control functions, improving their performance and holistic fitness as they face the modern-day battlefield. Yet, implementation challenges must be addressed to realize MT's benefits consistently and at scale.

Recent findings: Despite heterogeneity in MT program content, evaluation metrics, and participants' military career stages across studies, recent findings suggest that MT may bolster performance, cognitive functions, psychological well-being, and social relationships. Additionally, implementation factors such as daily practice, trainers' familiarity with the military, and course content influence the extent of benefits. Attentional control is critical for effective performance, yet vulnerable to compromise in high-demand cohorts, such as military service members. MT not only targets and strengthens military service members' attentional control but also enhances other aspects of their functioning. Despite recognized hurdles, best practice guidance is emerging and continued research and efforts to implement MT in military settings are warranted.

Keywords: Attention; Implementation; Mindfulness training; Performance.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Author Note for AA: Material has been reviewed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. There is no objection to its presentation and/or publication. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author, and are not to be construed as official, or as reflecting true views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense. Author Note for MI: The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or its components. Competing Interests: APJ is a co-developer and copyright holder of the Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT) program materials.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mindfulness Exercises and Neurocognitive Training of Attentional Control. Mindfulness exercises strengthen domain-general attentional control functions. Practicing focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM) mindfulness exercises targets attentional control functions during the execution of three mental actions–selective focus, meta-awareness, and decentering. Repeatedly engaging in these exercises over multiple sessions offers a complex, variable, and challenging neurocognitive training environment which strengthens attentional control over time
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Attentional control is weakened by protracted intervals of high demand and strengthened by mindfulness training. Attentional control is conceptualized as a domain-general ‘fuel’ that supports a broad range of domain-specific processes such as cognitive, social, and emotional functions, which are critical for holistic fitness. The availability of attentional control resources determines the quality of holistic fitness, which, in turn, determines the success of the multi-domain processes they support, such as operational performance and leadership effectiveness
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Considerations for Mindfulness Training Delivery in the Workplace
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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