A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children.
Willoughby B Britton, Nathaniel E Lepp, Halsey F Niles, Tomas Rocha, Nathan E Fisher, Jonathan S Gold
Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2014.03.002 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA pilot trial randomized 101 sixth-grade students to either a daily mindfulness meditation practice during an Asian history course or an active control activity during an African history course. Both groups showed significant decreases in clinical syndrome subscales and negative affect, with no difference between them in the extent of improvement. However, students who meditated were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm compared to controls. The findings suggest that mindfulness training may produce both unique benefits, such as reduced suicidal ideation, and non-specific benefits shared with other novel activities.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 101 |
| Population | Sixth-grade students |
| Intervention | mindfulness meditation |
| Keywords | Children Contemplative education Mindfulness meditation Pre-adolescent School |
| Citations | 253 |
| Key finding | Mindfulness meditation training significantly reduced the likelihood of suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm compared to an active control activity, though both groups improved similarly on other clinical measures. |
Abstract
The current study is a pilot trial to examine the effects of a nonelective, classroom-based, teacher-implemented, mindfulness meditation intervention on standard clinical measures of mental health and affect in middle school children. A total of 101 healthy sixth-grade students (55 boys, 46 girls) were randomized to either an Asian history course with daily mindfulness meditation practice (intervention group) or an African history course with a matched experiential activity (active control group). Self-reported measures included the Youth Self Report (YSR), a modified Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Measure -Revised. Both groups decreased significantly on clinical syndrome subscales and affect but did not differ in the extent of their improvements. Meditators were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm than controls. These results suggest that mindfulness training may yield both unique and non-specific benefits that are shared by other novel activities.