Mediators of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Children and Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Mindfulness May 16, 2026 Lian Liu, Tang Jy, Jia-Qi Xu
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies (14,690 participants) examined how mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) improve mental health in children, adolescents, and tertiary students. In tertiary students, increased trait mindfulness, mindful attention and awareness, mindful acceptance and decentering, and self-compassion each mediated the effect of MBIs on reducing stress, with small effect sizes (e.g., self-compassion: ES = −0.20). Narrative synthesis found insufficient evidence for these mediators on other mental health outcomes in tertiary students, and mixed or insufficient evidence for mediators in adolescents and children. The authors conclude that MBIs benefit tertiary students' mental health through improved mindfulness skills and self-compassion, but more studies in younger age groups are needed.