Mindfulness-based Interventions for Emotional Dysregulation in Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Nandini Sharma, Manju Agrawal, Rushi, Sayma Ayyub, Divya Rai
Annals of Neurosciences July 19, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/09727531251355311 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adolescents |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Emotional regulation Emotional dysregulation Prisma Systematic review Adolescents Mindfulness-based interventions mbis |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions effectively reduce emotional dysregulation and improve emotional regulation, coping skills, and neurological functioning in adolescents. |
Abstract
Emotional dysregulation is a multidimensional construct, understood as frequent and intense experience of emotions combined with a lack of ability to cope with their occurrence. Adolescence represents a crucial developmental period where emotional dysregulation is being increasingly addressed as an emerging mental health issue, with implications on overall well-being, as well as a potential cause of psychopathology. Mindfulness is the awareness that surfaces through purposefully paying attention to the present moment and nonjudgmentally, exploring the layers of moment-to-moment experiences; Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) emphasise increasing the awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and actions through therapeutic application of Mindfulness techniques. The application of MBIs is conducive to reducing emotional regulation difficulties and has further led to the enhancement of self-regulation of emotions and behaviour. This study aims to understand the role of MBIs on emotional dysregulation among adolescents.The methodology comprised of a systematic review of literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The analysis of the literature highlighted that MBIs effectively reduce emotional dysregulation and improve emotional regulation. The findings suggest that MBIs have been found to reduce adolescents' emotional dysregulation and improve emotional regulation, coping skills, as well as neurological functioning, leading to positive outcomes as well as an enhancement of self-regulation of emotions. Emotional dysregulation is a critical concern during adolescence and can lead to mental health challenges.Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) help enhance emotional awareness and self-regulation.Systematic review findings suggest MBIs effectively reduce emotional dysregulation among adolescents.MBIs can serve as a preventative and therapeutic strategy for adolescent mental health.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A Self-Guided Mobile Mindfulness Intervention Embedded in Daily Routines for Adults With Mild to Moderate Psychological Distress: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health July 15, 2026
- Digital mindfulness, trait anxiety, and psychological wellbeing: the chain mediating roles of emotion regulation and self-compassion Frontiers in Education March 16, 2026
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for perceived stress and psychosomatic symptoms in Chinese adolescent girls: a mixed-methods school-based study of parent and teacher perceptions. BMC Psychology October 14, 2025
Cites 13
- Neural mechanisms of symptom improvements in generalized anxiety disorder following mindfulness training NeuroImage: Clinical 2013
- A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014
- Improving self-regulation in adolescents: current evidence for the role of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Adolescent Health Medicine and Therapeutics September 1, 2016
- Effectiveness of mindfulness based interventions in reducing depressive symptoms across mental disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychiatry Research June 1, 2025
- Depression Among Adolescents in Relation to Spiritual Intelligence and Mindfulness MIER Journal of Educational Studies Trends & Practices May 19, 2021
and 8 more in the library