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.
YunNan Zhao
BMC Psychology October 14, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-03472-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental mixed-methods study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Female students aged 14-16 from three public secondary schools in DaZhou, Sichuan, China, screened with Psychosomatic Complaints Scale (cutoff >45) and DSM-5-informed clinical interviews |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
| Dose | 8 weekly 75-minute sessions |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 2-month follow-up |
| Measures | Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Psychosomatic Complaints Scale (PCS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Adolescents China Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Mixed-methods Perceived stress Psychosomatic symptoms School-based intervention |
| Key findings | School-delivered MBCT was associated with sustained improvements in perceived stress and psychosomatic complaints among 14-16-year-old girls, with convergent qualitative evidence from parents and teachers. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) integrates mindfulness practices with cognitive strategies to alleviate perceived stress and its associated symptoms. While well studied in adults, evidence for school-based MBCT among adolescents with psychosomatic complaints-particularly in China-remains limited. We conducted a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study in three public secondary schools in DaZhou (Sichuan, China). Female students aged 14-16 were screened (N = 1,200) using the Psychosomatic Complaints Scale (PCS; cutoff > 45) and DSM-5-informed clinical interviews; 60 eligible students were randomly allocated to MBCT (8 weekly 75-minute sessions) or school-as-usual control. To mitigate non-specific effects, controls received attention-balanced administrative contacts (weekly neutral check-ins without psychological content). Outcome assessors and the data analyst were blinded to allocation. The primary outcomes were the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; α = 0.85) and the PCS (α = 0.86), both of which were adapted for Chinese adolescents. Parent (n = 6) and teacher (n = 5) interviews were analyzed thematically (Braun & Clarke). Compared with controls, the MBCT group showed greater reductions in perceived stress and psychosomatic symptoms at post-test and two-month follow-up (Group×Time, p < .001; partial η²≈0.32-0.63). Mean reductions exceeded a conventional 0.5 SD benchmark, supporting applied relevance alongside statistical significance. Qualitative analysis yielded six themes that contextualized change: (1) reduced stress reactivity, (2) improved emotion regulation and self-awareness, (3) strengthened coping, (4) enhanced peer/family communication, (5) better classroom engagement, and (6) conditions for maintenance (practice dose, prompts, family/teacher supports). School-delivered MBCT was associated with sustained improvements in perceived stress and psychosomatic complaints among 14-16-year-old girls, with convergent qualitative evidence from parents and teachers. Interpretation remains cautious given the passive control, short follow-up, and bounded generalizability. Future work should test MBCT against attention-matched/active comparators, extend follow-up to 6-12 months, and examine mechanisms (e.g., decentering, rumination) and cultural/implementation outcomes to inform scaling in diverse Chinese school contexts.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cites 16
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Clinical Practice: A Systematic Review of Neurocognitive Outcomes and Applications for Mental Health and Well-Being. Journal of Clinical Medicine March 3, 2025
- The Efficacy and Durability of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in the Treatment of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine May 1, 2025
- Group-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Reduce Psychological Distress and Improve Sleep in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial (MindIBD). Inflammatory bowel diseases July 14, 2025
- Mindfulness-based Interventions for Emotional Dysregulation in Adolescents: A Systematic Review. Annals of Neurosciences July 19, 2025
- The effect of brief digital mindfulness-based interventions on increasing online charitable behavior in Chinese adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology August 2, 2023
and 11 more in the library