School-Based Mindfulness Instruction: An RCT
Pediatrics December 19, 2015 Erica Sibinga, Lindsey Webb, Sharon R. Ghazarian et al. 233 citations
A school-based mindfulness program reduced symptoms of stress and trauma among low-income, minority middle school students. Students who received adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reported lower levels of somatization, depression, negative affect, negative coping, rumination, self-hostility, and posttraumatic symptom severity compared to those in a health education program. The study included 300 fifth- to eighth-grade students (mean age 12.0 years) from Baltimore City Public Schools, most of whom were African American and eligible for free lunch. The findings suggest mindfulness instruction can improve psychological functioning in vulnerable urban youth.