Mindful awareness and resilience skills for adolescents (MARS-A): a mixed-methods study of a mindfulness-based intervention for a heterogeneous adolescent clinical population.
Dzung X Vo, Katarina Tabi, Manreet Bhullar, Andrea Johnson, Jake Locke, Sophia Wang, S Evelyn Stewart, Sheila K Marshall
International journal of adolescent medicine and health February 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2023-0112 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative and quantitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Heterogenous clinical adolescent population with mental health and/or chronic diagnoses |
| Intervention | Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Adolescents Chronic illness Chronic pain Mental health |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | MARS-A shows potential in reducing functional disability, psychological distress, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms, and increasing positive affect in a heterogeneous clinical adolescent population. |
Abstract
Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) is a mindfulness-based intervention adapted for the adolescent population. While previous studies have explored the benefits of MARS-A in various single-diagnosis populations, the aim of this study was to assess MARS-A for a heterogenous clinical adolescent population with mental health and/or chronic diagnoses, focusing on the underlying suffering present in all these conditions rather than its effects on a single diagnosis itself. Qualitative data was collected through interviews to understand post-intervention participant perspectives and experiences. Quantitative data was collected through measures to investigate preliminary secondary outcomes. After participating in MARS-A, participants reported qualitative benefits in enhanced well-being, including coping with difficult emotions and managing sleep and/or pain. Quantitative results showed a reduction in functional disability, psychological distress, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms; increase in positive affect; and benefit in coping with pain and chronic conditions. MARS-A shows great potential in a heterogeneous clinical adolescent population.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 21
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- 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 16 more in the library