Eight-Week Mindfulness Training Effectively Improves Performance in Children with ADHD: A Comparison with Cognitive-Behavioral Training
Chenguang Zhao, Yifei Sun, Wei Zhang
Behavioral Sciences July 6, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/bs16071128 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 63 |
| Population | Children with ADHD |
| Interventions | Mindfulness training Cognitive-behavioral training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Analysis of variance Test biology Exploratory research Association psychology Clinical psychology Intervention counseling Repeated measures design |
| Key findings | Both MT and CBT reduced ADHD symptoms and test anxiety and improved self-concept in children with ADHD, with exploratory analyses suggesting different patterns of change between the two interventions. |
Abstract
Background: This study compared the effects of mindfulness training (MT) and cognitive-behavioral training (CBT) on ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept in children with ADHD and explored potential pathways of change associated with the two interventions.
Methods: After a two-stage screening and eligibility confirmation procedure, 63 children with ADHD were included in the final analyses, including 19 in the MT group, 25 in the CBT group, and 19 in the control group. The MT and CBT groups received an eight-week intervention, whereas the control group continued regular classroom activities. ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept were assessed before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using 3 × 2 repeated-measures ANOVA and exploratory cross-lagged analyses.
Results: Significant Group × Time interactions were found for ADHD symptoms, F(2, 60) = 29.74, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.5; test anxiety, F(2, 60) = 7.77, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.21; and self-concept, F(2, 60) = 18.9, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.39. Simple effects analyses showed that both the MT and CBT groups showed significant reductions in ADHD symptoms and test anxiety and significant improvements in self-concept, whereas the control group showed no significant pretest-to-posttest changes. Exploratory cross-lagged analyses showed different patterns of association between ADHD symptoms and test anxiety in the two intervention groups.
Conclusions: Both MT and CBT were associated with improvements in ADHD symptoms, test anxiety, and self-concept in children with ADHD. The exploratory pathway findings suggest that the two interventions may be linked to partly different patterns of change. However, further studies are needed to verify these preliminary findings.
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
Cites 13
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Journal of Child and Family Studies February 1, 2011
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems and Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD Journal of Child and Family Studies September 21, 2011
- Mental and Physical Health Impacts of Mindfulness Training for College Undergraduates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Mindfulness September 1, 2023
- Reducing STEM test anxiety through classroom mindfulness training for lower secondary school children: a pilot study International Journal of Adolescence and Youth August 4, 2023
- Examining How Headspace Impacts Mindfulness Mechanisms Over an 8-Week App-Based Mindfulness Intervention Mindfulness September 1, 2023
and 8 more in the library