Reported evidence of mindful movement on learning processes across the lifespan: a scoping review.

Abstract

This project consists of a scoping review examining the reported effects of mindful movement on learning processes across the lifespan, including cognitive functions such as attention, memory, executive functions, and self-regulation. The primary aim of this review is twofold: (1) to map the existing scientific literature and identify the range and characteristics of mindful movement interventions studied in educational and cognitive contexts, and (2) to examine how the reported associations between these practices and learning processes vary across developmental stages—namely children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. Movement-based mindfulness practices, the focus of this review, are defined here as practices that integrate deliberate, structured bodily movement with present-moment awareness (e.g., yoga postures/asanas, tai chi, qi gong, contemplative dance). This is in contrast to static (or seated) mindfulness practices—such as seated meditation, body scan, or breath-focused techniques (e.g., pranayama)—which do not involve sustained bodily movement and fall outside the scope of this review. Practices or intervention components that remain primarily static are therefore excluded, even when delivered as part of a broader mindfulness-based program that also includes a movement component. While existing research has predominantly focused on seated meditation and standardized mindfulness-based programs, movement-based practices—including yoga, tai chi, qi gong, and contemplative dance—are increasingly implemented in educational and training settings across the lifespan. Preliminary evidence suggests these embodied approaches may be associated with learning through mechanisms such as enhanced interoceptive awareness, attentional control, and emotional regulation. However, their contribution to learning processes—and how this contribution may differ according to age and developmental stage—remains insufficiently synthesized in the current literature. The expected outcomes of this scoping review include: - a comprehensive mapping of empirical studies investigating mindful movement and learning processes across different age groups - a detailed identification of how movement-based mindfulness practices are defined and operationalized across the lifespan - a synthesis of the cognitive processes most frequently associated with these interventions (e.g., attention, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility), and whether these associations differ by age group - an overview of populations, settings, and intervention characteristics, with explicit attention to age-related patterns - the identification of gaps in the literature, particularly regarding embodied mindfulness approaches and underrepresented age groups - recommendations for future research, including age-specific considerations This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with methodological guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and reported following the PRISMA-ScR framework, using a transparent and reproducible search strategy. Consistent with scoping review methodology, the objective is not to assess intervention effectiveness or evidence quality, but to map the extent, range, and nature of research activity in this field, with particular attention to how movement-based mindfulness practices and their reported associations with learning processes may vary according to age and developmental stage.