Incarcerated adolescent males who took part in a one-day meditation retreat and a 10-week meditation programme reported higher scores in self-regulation, along with psychological enhancement. No behavioral change was observed. Six themes emerged from the data: enhanced well-being, increased self-discipline, increased social cohesiveness, expanded self-awareness, resistance to meditation, and future meditation practice. The findings suggest that meditation training for incarcerated youth is a feasible and promising intervention.
A group mindfulness therapy program tailored for adolescents with anxiety was tested in a school setting. Twelve 6th and 7th graders with elevated anxiety participated in an after-school program that taught present-moment awareness, mindfulness in daily activities, body scan, loving-kindness, and self-acceptance. Significant improvements were observed in anxiety, internalizing symptoms, stress, and attention, with effect sizes ranging from 0.88 to 1.34. The program was feasible and acceptable, suggesting a cost-effective way to deliver mindfulness-based anxiety reduction in schools.
Incarcerated male adolescents who completed a 10-week mindfulness-based intervention reported increases in subjective well-being, self-regulation, awareness, and an accepting attitude toward the treatment. The findings suggest that adapted mindfulness programs are feasible for this population and hold promise as a treatment option.