Age-Related Differential Effects of School-Based Sitting and Movement Meditation on Creativity and Spatial Cognition: A Pilot Study.
Fabio Marson, Antonio De Fano, Michele Pellegrino, Caterina Pesce, Joseph Glicksohn, Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan
Children July 8, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/children8070583 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot crossover study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Children in 5th to 8th grade |
| Interventions | sitting meditation movement-based meditation |
| Duration | 5 weeks of daily training for each meditation type |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive flexibility Creativity Movement School-based Spatial cognition |
| Key points | Five weeks of daily sitting versus movement meditation improved children's creativity and spatial cognition differently by age: younger children benefited more from movement-based meditation, older children more from sitting meditation, suggesting developmental stage shapes training effects. |
Abstract
Psychophysical well-being can be supported during development by the integration of extra-curricular activities in scholastic settings. These activities can be implemented in different forms, ranging from physical activities to sitting meditation practices. Considering that both such activities are thought to affect children's psychophysical development, a movement-based meditation that combines the two approaches-in the form of a short daily activity-could represent a powerful tool to promote healthy physical and mental development. Consequently, the current pilot study aimed to examine the effect of short daily school-based sitting and movement meditation trainings on creativity and spatial cognition. Utilizing a crossover design, we evaluated their feasibility and efficacy at different ages among children (n = 50) in 5th to 8th grade. We observed that 5 weeks of daily training in sitting and movement meditation techniques improved children's cognition differently. Specifically, younger children showed greater creativity and better spatial cognition following the movement-based meditation, while older children showed greater enhancement in these areas following sitting meditation training. This suggests that training can affect children's cognition differently depending on their developmental stage. We discuss these results within the framework of embodied and grounded cognition theories. Information on feasibility and age-related effect sizes derived from the current study paves the way for future well-powered larger-scale efficacy studies on different forms of school-based interventions to cognitive development promotion.
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
Cited by 5
- Assessing brain neuroplasticity: Surface morphometric analysis of cortical changes induced by Quadrato motor training. Journal of anatomy May 1, 2025
- Transforming education: A review of the benefits of integrating mindfulness and meditation techniques in schools English Education Journal June 14, 2023
- RunMe: An Adaptive Sound System for Running Meditation ACM Trans. Comput. Hum. Interact. February 17, 2025
- A Three-Fold Integrated Perspective on Healthy Development: An Opinion Paper. Brain Sciences May 25, 2023
- Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) is associated with DNA methylation changes at DNA repeats: A pilot study. PLoS One 2023
Cites 25
- Focused attention, open monitoring and loving kindness meditation: effects on attention, conflict monitoring, and creativity – A review Frontiers in Psychology September 23, 2014
- Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools Educational Psychology Review March 1, 2015
- “Mind the Trap”: Mindfulness Practice Reduces Cognitive Rigidity PLoS One May 15, 2012
- Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Self-Transcendent States: Perceived Body Boundaries and Spatial Frames of Reference. Mindfulness May 1, 2020
- Embodied cognitive flexibility and neuroplasticity following Quadrato Motor Training. Frontiers in Psychology 2015
and 20 more in the library