The use of mindfulness based interventions for school-aged children with ADHD in the United States - a literature review.
Monica Y Garza Saenz, I. A. Iverson, Beatriz MacDonald, Sari Bar, Ellen Greenwald, Ana F. El-Behadli, Veronica Bordes Edgar
Child Neuropsychology: A Journal of Normal and Abnormal Development in Childhood and Adolescence July 22, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2026.2706034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6 |
| Population | School-aged children with ADHD in the U.S. (from included studies) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | The review suggests preliminary support for MBIs in reducing hyperactive and inattentive symptoms among U.S. children with ADHD, but the evidence is limited by small samples and missing control groups, so MBIs are not yet a generalizable, evidence-based treatment. |
Abstract
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed chronic childhood disorders in the United States (U.S.). Children with ADHD struggle to function across multiple settings and undermanaged symptoms can impact academic performance, home life, and social conduct. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have been increasingly proposed as a non-pharmacological treatment for ADHD among children globally. However, the application and adaptation of MBIs for the management of ADHD in children in the U.S. is in the early stages of development and study. The purpose of this literature review was to examine the description, presentation, and implementation of MBIs employed in the U.S. to manage ADHD symptoms in school-aged children. A total of six studies were identified and included. Several studies included in this review suggest that there is preliminary support for the use of MBIs to reduce hyperactive and inattentive symptoms among children with ADHD in the U.S. However, limitations such as small, unrepresentative samples sizes and a lack of inclusion control groups in several reviewed studies indicate that while MBIs may be effective as adjunctive treatment for ADHD, they are not yet a generalizable, evidence-based treatment method for children with ADHD. Larger scale, longitudinal studies, particularly among diverse populations and in rural locations, could serve to bolster the evidence base for MBIs among children with ADHD in the U.S.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 28
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems and Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD Journal of Child and Family Studies September 21, 2011
and 23 more in the library