[The Effect of a Short-Term Mindfulness Program on Memory Performance in School-Aged Children].
Corina Möller, Gisa Aschersleben
Praxis der Kinderpsychologie und Kinderpsychiatrie July 1, 2020 DOI: 10.13109/prkk.2020.69.4.305 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 73 |
| Population | School-aged children aged 8 to 10 years |
| Interventions | breathing meditation yoga |
| Duration | 6 consecutive days |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Achtsamkeit Gedächtnis Kognition Yoga Cognition Memory |
| Key findings | Both breathing meditation and yoga improved long-term memory compared to an active control group, while only breathing meditation enhanced short-term memory performance. |
Abstract
The Effect of a Short-Term Mindfulness Program on Memory Performance in School-Aged Children A one-week mindfulness-based intervention designed to improve 8- to 10-year-old children's memory performance was investigated. Seventy-three children were quasi-randomly assigned either to one of two mindfulness-based intervention groups (breathing meditation or yoga), or to an active control group. The sessions were held on six consecutive days. Prior to intervention and after completing the intervention, children's short-term and long-term memory performance were assessed. In confirmation of prior studies, breathing meditation and yoga showed positive effects on memory performance when compared with the control group. Moreover, differences in the effectiveness of breathing meditation and yoga were found: While both interventions had comparable effects on long-term memory, only breathing meditation showed improvements in short-term memory performance. The present study provides valuable evidence on the effectiveness of meditation on cognitive functions in childhood and shows that school-aged children can already benefit from short-term meditation programs.
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 15
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin May 14, 2012
- Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
and 10 more in the library