Mindfulness Boosts Specific Cognition via Self‐Control and Cognitive Emotion Regulation in Chinese Left‐Behind Children

A 10-week mindfulness program improved learning attentional stability and reduced overgeneral autobiographical memory in Chinese left-behind children, with self-control and cognitive emotion regulation acting as mediating mechanisms. In two sub-studies, self-control partly explained the link between trait mindfulness and attentional stability, while cognitive emotion regulation partly explained the link between trait mindfulness and memory specificity. After the intervention, experimental groups showed greater improvements in trait mindfulness, attentional stability, self-control, and positive emotion regulation, and greater reductions in negative emotion regulation and overgeneral memory, with effect sizes ranging from 0.95 to 1.55. Larger, preregistered trials are needed due to small samples and lack of active control.

Study at a glance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Long‐term parental migration adversely affects cognitive development among left‐behind children (LBC) in China, yet this issue has not received adequate attention and effective interventions are lacking. Objective This study examined the efficacy of a mindfulness‐based intervention (MBI) on specific cognitive functions in LBC, with self‐control (SC) mediating the trait mindfulness (TM)‐learning attentional stability (LAS) relationship and cognitive emotion regulation (CER) mediating the TM‐overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGAM) relationship. Method Two complementary sub‐studies were conducted with LBC. In Sub‐study 1, 92 participants (age 15.83 ± 0.42) completed a survey, and 63 were randomized to a 10‐week .b mindfulness program or control. In Sub‐study 2, 96 participants (age 12.76 ± 0.54) were surveyed, with 52 randomized to the same program. TM, SC, CER, LAS, and OGAM were measured. Results In Sub‐study 1, SC partially mediated the TM–LAS relationship (indirect effect = 0.26), and in Sub‐study 2, CER partially mediated the TM–OGAM relationship (indirect effect = −0.20). After intervention, experimental groups showed greater improvements in TM, LAS, SC, positive CER, and greater reductions in negative CER and OGAM than controls (Cohen's d = 0.95–1.55). Implications School‐based mindfulness training may benefit cognitive functions in Chinese LBC, but larger, preregistered trials are needed due to small samples and lack of active control. Conclusion This preliminary evidence suggests that a standardized MBI improves LAS and reduces OGAM in Chinese LBC, consistent with mediation through TM and self‐regulation. Mindfulness training is a feasible school‐based strategy for cognitive development, though causal conclusions require stronger designs.