Turn existing data into new discoveries

Your datasets may contain far more scientific potential than what was reported in the original publications. The Mindfulness Consortium was created to unlock that potential in a way that is safe, collaborative, and efficient.

We connect data owners with researchers who have the expertise and time to generate new insights. Our role is to facilitate scientific collaborations while ensuring that data ownership and control remain fully with you.

Your dataset does not need to be publicly available to participate; sharing metadata is sufficient. When you receive a collaboration offer, you decide whether to proceed, how involved you wish to be, and what your authorship expectations are.

Even datasets that appear fully analysed often contain untapped potential. For example, your data could be used to:

  • Pool similar datasets across trials to address research questions requiring larger samples (e.g. approaches from precision medicine)
  • Test which participants benefited most or least from an intervention (e.g. latent profile analysis, machine learning approaches)
  • Examine how relationships between variables change from pre- to post-intervention (e.g. network analysis)
  • Investigate mechanisms of change (e.g. mediation models, structural equation modelling)
  • Analyse secondary outcomes or longer-term follow-up data that were not central to the original publications

The Mindfulness Consortium can turn dormant or partially used data into high-quality publications and/or competitive grant applications without increasing your workload substantially. By joining, you can also take part in consortium grants and multi-site projects that would be difficult to build independently.

Sharing your data in The Mindfulness Consortium is simple and structured:

Step 1: Create your account or log in and click “Share your data” under the Members tab to start a new submission.

 

Step 2: Describe your dataset in the standardised submission form. The more fields you fill in, the easier it is for researchers to find your dataset and assess its relevance to their work.

 

Step 3: Add a link to a relevant publication, study protocol/registration, or data repository to give interested researchers even more context about your dataset. Optionally, you may upload additional supporting documents and links. Data files should ideally be hosted in a research data repository and linked within the form; however, sharing data files is optional, and a dataset description alone is sufficient to make your study discoverable.

 

Step 4: Submit your record and allow The Mindfulness Consortium staff to review it for clarity before it is published. You can track the status of your submissions through the “My Shared Data” section under the Members tab.

 

Step 5: When a researcher expresses interest in your dataset, you will be notified by e-mail with the details of their request and can communicate with them directly. You decide whether to proceed, how involved you wish to be, and what authorship expectations apply. There is no obligation to accept any request as is.

Download

To make the process even easier, download our Step-by-Step Submission Guide which includes an offline version of the form and walks you through each stage in detail:

What's Next?

Successful collaboration depends on transparency and clear communication. Before beginning a project, we strongly recommend discussing:

Seamless and efficient research partnerships begin with clear contribution agreements. We recommend aligning authorship with APA Ethics Code Standard 8.12 (Publication Credit) and using the Contributor Role Taxonomy (CRediT) to define roles transparently and strategically.

Robust data stewardship strengthens both scientific integrity and long-term impact. APA’s data sharing guidance provides a framework for secure, transparent, and reproducible research practices.

Pre-specifying analytic strategies enhances rigor and credibility. We encourage teams to document analysis plans and follow APA’s Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) Guidelines to support cumulative science.

High-impact projects require coordinated execution. Establishing shared timelines, manuscript plans, and communication norms early ensures efficient progress and sustained collaboration. This APA ‘Monitor on Psychology’ article on cooperation and communication provides practical guidance for structuring effective research partnerships.

All collaborative projects must meet applicable ethical and institutional standards. APA Ethics Code Standard 8.14 (Sharing Research Data for Verification) outlines responsible practices that protect participants while advancing scientific discovery.