Table 2 Summary of Non-Randomised Controlled Trials of Retreat Interventions

Al-Hussaini et al., 2001 [9]

Observational study with control

Vipassana Meditation Course participants (n = 45); Intervention (n = 14), Nil Intervention (n = 31)

10-day Vipassana Meditation retreat involving silent sitting and/or walking meditation, avoidance of caffeine and alcohol, specific breathing practices and daily lectures.

Muscat, Oman

No intervention

Pre and post-retreat

General Health (General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28))

Sig. improvements in physical and psychological well-being in the Vipassana but not control group.

Khurana & Dhar, 2000 [10]

Observational study with controls

Male and Female Prison inmates (n = 150); Intervention (n = 75), Nil Intervention (n = 75).

10-day Vipassana Meditation retreat involving silent sitting and/or walking meditation, avoidance of caffeine and alcohol, specific breathing practices and daily lectures.

Tihar Jail, India

No intervention

Pre and post-retreat

Subjective Well-being, scale), Quality of Life (Life Satisfaction Scale), Criminal Propensity Scale.

Sig. improvements in Criminal Propensity and Subjective Well-being in male inmates of Vipassana group compared with conrol.

Emavardhana & Tori, 1997 [11]

Observational study with controls

Teenagers, some teachers and other adults (n = 719); Intervention (n = 438), Nil Intervention (n = 281)

7-day Vipassana Meditation retreat involving silent sitting and/or walking meditation, avoidance of caffeine and alcohol, specific breathing practices and daily lectures.

Young Buddhists Association Retreat Center, Bangkok, Thailand

No intervention

Pre and post-retreat

Self Esteem (Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS)), Life Style Index, Buddhist Beliefs and Practices Scale

Sig. improvement in self-esteem and self-concept post-retreat

Chandiramani et al., 1995 [12]

Observational study (study I)

Observational study with control (study II)

Prison inmates (n = 270); Study I (n = 120), No comparator. Study II (n = 150), Intervention (n = 85), Nil Intervention (n = 65).

10-day Vipassana Meditation retreat involving silent sitting and/or walking meditation, avoidance of caffeine and alcohol, specific breathing practices and daily lectures.

Tihar Jail, India

No intervention

Pre-retreat, post-retreat, 3 and 6 months post-retreat (study II only)

Well-being (Psychological General Well-being Index (PGI) scale), Hope (Miller and Power hope scale), hostility questionnaire

Sig. improvement in physical and psychological health in the intervention group (Study II). Both studies showed sig. Reductions in anxiety and depression scores post-retreat (p < 0.001) in the Vipassana group but not in the control group.

Garland et al., 2009 [13]; Garland, 2007 [14]; Angen et al., 2002 [15]

Longitudinal cohort study with control

Advanced breast, prostate or colon cancer patients (n = 15), their partners (n = 15), natural history group of patients (n = 20) and their partners (n = 20)

5-day Tapestry Psychosocial Retreat: Intensive psychosocial intervention for palliative care patients and their partners based on the Commonweal Cancer Help Program.

Retreat and Renewal Centre outside of Calgary, Canada

No intervention

Pre-retreat, post-retreat, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-retreat

Quality of Life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – General Form (FACT-G), McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL), Quality of Life in Life Thretreating Illness – Family (QOLLTI-F) questionnaire, Fatigue (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Fatigue (FACT-F)), Spirituality and Purpose (Functional Assessment of Chronic Ilness and Treatment-Spirtuality Subscale FACIT-Sp)) Depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II, Hopelessness Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory-18), Index of marital satisfaction (IMS).

Patients in the tapestry group demonstrated Sig. improvement in marital satisfaction (p = .011) with less psychological wellbeing (p = 0.029), support (p = 0.021) and poorer social wellbeing (p = 0.01)than patients in the natural history group. Partners of patients in the Tapestry group reported more financial worries p = 0.05, and less marital satisfaction p = 0.05 than partners of patients not attending the retreat. Both the Tapestry and natural history groups reported more fatigue as time progressed regardless of groups.

Ornish et al., 2013 [16]; Ornish et al., 2008 [17]

Descriptive study with control

Men with biopsy-proven low-risk prostate cancer (n = 35); Intervention (n = 10), Standard care (n = 25)

3-day Lifestyle Modification Retreat and Outpatient phase as part of 3-month Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification Program: Low-fat, wholefoods, plant-based diet with supplements. Stress management (gentle yoga-based stretching, breathing, meditation, imagery, and progressive relaxation), moderate aerobic exercise and weekly group support sessions. Education and counselling by registered dietitian, exercise physiologist, clinical psychologist, nurse, and stress management instructor. Outpatient phase included weekly telephone contact with a study nurse.

Retreat location not reported, United States

Standard care

Pre-retreat, post-retreat and 5 years post-retreat

BMI, blood pressure, relative telomere length of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and telomerase activity, Lifestyle adherence (Lifestyle-index scores).

Sig. improvements in weight, abdominal obesity, blood pressure, and lipid profile were observed (all P < 0.05). Sig. increase in relative telomere length after 5 years in retreat group compared to decrease in control. Adherence to lifestyle changes associated with sig. Increase in telomere length compared with control.