At-home use of app-based mindfulness for children: A randomized active-controlled trial.
Isaac N Treves, Halie A. Olson, Ola Ozernov-Palchik, Cindy E Li, Kimberly L. Wang, Xochitl M Arechiga, Simon B. Goldberg, John D E Gabrieli
Mindfulness November 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-023-02231-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 279 |
| Population | U.S. children ages 8-10 |
| Intervention | Mindfulness intervention using the Inner Explorer app |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Children Rct App Mental health Stress |
| Citations | 15 |
| Key findings | Home use of a mindfulness app for at least 30 days over 8 weeks was associated with reduced child self-perceived stress and reduced negative affect by parental report, but not with reduced anxiety or depression symptoms. |
Abstract
School-based mindfulness interventions in children have shown benefits to child well-being. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of a remote, app-based mindfulness intervention for promoting well-being in children. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two control groups to examine the effects of an 8-week mindfulness intervention in U.S. children ages 8-10. We compared pre-post effects between a mindfulness intervention using the Inner Explorer app, and two audiobook control interventions. The 279 children who participated in the interventions were assessed on self-report measures of anxiety and depression symptoms, perceived stress and trait mindfulness and we also collected parental reports. Over 80% of children completed the intervention in each condition. There was evidence for reduced self-perceived stress in children and reduced negative affect in children by parental reports using the mindfulness app, but no significant reduction for anxiety or depression symptoms. In general, between-group effect sizes were small (ds < 0.45). Regular use, defined as at least 30 days of mindfulness practice within the study period, was associated with reduced child negative affect by parental reports, as well as reduced parental stress and child self-perceived stress. These findings suggest that home use of a mindfulness app in young children can have a positive impact on children's emotional well-being if the app is used regularly, specifically for at least 30 days in the 8-week study period. Strategies aimed at promoting regular use of the mindfulness app at home could lead to even better outcomes for children. Preregistered on OSF at https://osf.io/23vax.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- The efficacy of mindfulness apps on symptoms of depression and anxiety: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Clinical Psychology Review February 1, 2024
- Consumer-Grade Neurofeedback With Mindfulness Meditation: Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research April 17, 2025
- Mindful young brains and minds: a systematic review of the neural correlates of mindfulness-based interventions in youth. Brain Imaging and Behavior April 1, 2025
- Analyzing the effect of theoretical mindfulness-nursing-education-programme on students' stress, resilience, and heart rate variability: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Medical Education May 18, 2026
- The effects of mindfulness and cognitive strategy interventions on core symptoms in children with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025
and 1 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). Psychological Assessment April 11, 2011
- Promoting prosocial behavior and self-regulatory skills in preschool children through a mindfulness-based kindness curriculum. Developmental Psychology November 10, 2014
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
and 19 more in the library