A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children.
Willoughby B. Britton, Nathaniel E Lepp, Halsey F Niles, Tomas Rocha, Nathan E. Fisher, Jonathan Gold
Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsp.2014.03.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 101 |
| Population | Sixth-grade students |
| Intervention | mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Children Contemplative education Mindfulness meditation Pre-adolescent School |
| Citations | 253 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness meditation training significantly reduced the likelihood of suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm compared to an active control activity, though both groups improved similarly on other clinical measures. |
Abstract
The current study is a pilot trial to examine the effects of a nonelective, classroom-based, teacher-implemented, mindfulness meditation intervention on standard clinical measures of mental health and affect in middle school children. A total of 101 healthy sixth-grade students (55 boys, 46 girls) were randomized to either an Asian history course with daily mindfulness meditation practice (intervention group) or an African history course with a matched experiential activity (active control group). Self-reported measures included the Youth Self Report (YSR), a modified Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Measure -Revised. Both groups decreased significantly on clinical syndrome subscales and affect but did not differ in the extent of their improvements. Meditators were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm than controls. These results suggest that mindfulness training may yield both unique and non-specific benefits that are shared by other novel activities.