A total of 315 participants (26%) reported having had particularly unpleasant meditation-related experiences, which they thought may have been caused by their meditation practice. Logistic regression models indicated that unpleasant meditation-related experiences were less likely to occur in female participants and religious participants. Participants with higher levels of repetitive negative thinking, those who only engaged in deconstructive types of meditation (e.g., vipassana), and those who had attended a meditation retreat were more likely to report unpleasant meditation-related experiences.

Underscoring the importance of engaging in meditation practices in a balanced way.