Prevalence, patterns, and predictors of meditation use among U.S. children: Results from the National Health Interview Survey.
Claudia Wang, Kaigang Li, Susan A Gaylord
Complementary Therapies in Medicine April 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.02.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6,925 |
| Population | U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Children Mantra meditation Mindfulness meditation Spiritual meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation use among U.S. children increased from 1.6% in 2012 to 7.4% in 2017, with chronic medical conditions, prescription medication use, and delayed medical care associated with different types of meditation. |
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics of various types of meditation use (i.e., mantra, mindful, and spiritual meditation) among U.S. children. Using 2017 National Health Interview Survey, we examined the prevalence, patterns, and potential predictors of meditation use among U.S. children aged 4 to 17 years. Descriptive statistics, Wald F chi-square test, and multivariable logistic regression were used for data analysis (n = 6925). Overall meditation use has increased substantially from 1.6% in 2012 to 7.4% in 2017 among children in the US. Children with chronic medical conditions were more likely to use mindful meditation (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.9-3.6, 95% CI [1.0-7.4]). Regularly taking prescription medication had an inverse relation with mantra meditation use (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI [0.2-0.9]). Children with delayed medical care due to access difficulties were more likely to use spiritual meditation, compared to those who did not (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI [1.1-2.6]). Meditation use has rapidly increased among U.S. children within the past few years. Future studies should explore the underlying reasons for this increase and its potential benefits for pediatric meditators.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Experimental Phenomenology as an Approach to the Study of Contemplative Practices Frontiers in Psychology January 10, 2022
- Mental Health Symptoms Do Not Increase Risk for Distressing Experiences During Intensive Mindfulness Meditation Training: Evidence from a Prospective Matched-Control Intervention Study Mindfulness September 30, 2026
- Measures of Well-being Parameters in Gayatri Mantra Practitioners, Yoga Practitioners, and Nonpractitioners: A Cross-sectional Survey Study in India Ancient Science of Life July 1, 2024
- Impact of gayatri sadhana camp on stress and well-being parameters: A mixed-method study Journal of Applied Consciousness Studies 2024
- Unpleasant meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors, and conceptual considerations PLoS One May 9, 2019
Cites 13
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- The Role of Mindfulness in Reducing the Adverse Effects of Childhood Stress and Trauma Children February 28, 2017
- Meditation for posttraumatic stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy July 1, 2017
and 8 more in the library