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Effectiveness of ANAPANA Mindfulness Meditation on Sustained Attention, Academic Self-Regulation, and Academic Performance Among Middle School Students

N. Rajkumar, G. S. Prakasha

Advances in Computational Intelligence and Robotics June 18, 2026 DOI: 10.4018/979-8-2600-2463-8.ch011 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed
Sample size 60
Population Middle school students in Sangareddy District, Telangana, India
Intervention Anapana mindfulness meditation
Duration 8-week intervention
Measures PEBL Clock test, Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire-A, school examination scores
Topics Meditation
Key findings The eight-week Anapana mindfulness intervention improved sustained attention, academic self-regulation, and academic performance in middle school students compared to a control group, suggesting the practice can make a meaningful difference in managing distractions and academic demands.

Abstract

Middle school is a phase where these young students are expected to focus, manage their learning, balance their emotions, and perform well in academics- all at once. It is difficult for the students to accomplish any of these regularly in the world crowded with digital distractions, and intensifying academic pressure. This chapter examines whether a simple, ancient breath-awareness practice called Anapana mindfulness meditation can make a meaningful difference. A quasi experimental study conducted with sixty middle school students in Sangareddy District, Telangana, India. Thirty students received an eight week structured Anapana mindfulness intervention and other thirty are for comparison in control group. The study measured changes in Sustained Attention (using the PEBL Clock test), Academic self-regulation (using the Academic Self-Regulation Questionnaire-A), and Academic Performance (using school examination scores). The results were remarkable.