Effect of ānāpāna meditation on attention and mental well-being in secondary school students: a mixed-methods evaluation.
Frontiers in public health January 1, 2026 Neelam Oswal, Pranita Jagtap, Pradnya Dasarwar
Regular practice of ānāpāna, a beginning step of vipassanā meditation, over one academic year improved sustained attention and adjustment with self among 8th-grade students. In a mixed-methods study, 44 students practiced ānāpāna daily for 10 minutes on school days, while 45 served as a waitlisted control. By the program's end, the experimental group showed significantly greater gains in sustained attention (Cohen's d = 0.61) compared to controls. At an interim assessment, adjustment with self also improved more in the experimental group (d = 0.43). Qualitative data from students, teachers, and parents supported these findings, noting better focus, emotional regulation, positive relationships, and strategic use of ānāpāna for stress. The findings suggest ānāpāna practice can benefit educational activities for early adolescents.