Daily Breath-Based Mindfulness Exercises Improve Primary School Children’s Performance in Arithmetic: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Finja Hondrich, Maria von Salisch, Katharina Voltmer
Research Square September 1, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3275653/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 140 |
| Population | Third and fourth grade primary school children (49% female) |
| Interventions | Breathing Break Intervention (BBI) daily breath-based mindfulness practices |
| Duration | Ten weeks of BBI, with follow-up five months later |
| Measures | standardized arithmetic test, teachers' ratings of mathematics performance |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The Breathing Break Intervention group showed a significantly different trajectory of arithmetic performance and outperformed the active control group at five-month follow-up, after controlling for working memory updating and socioeconomic status. Teachers' ratings of mathematics performance showed no significant differences between groups. |
Abstract
Abstract Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to improve children’s academic achievements. Because MBIs include different exercises (with different effects), the teacher-led Breathing Break Intervention (BBI) with daily breath-based mindfulness practices was developed and evaluated in terms of its effects on children’s performance in mathematics. In a randomized controlled trial, N = 140 third and fourth graders (49% female) either received BBI (IG, n = 81) or participated in an active control group (ACG, n = 59). Students took a standardized arithmetic test and teachers rated their mathematics performance before (T1) and after (T2) the ten weeks of BBI, and in a follow-up five months later (T3). A mixed multilevel model with a quadratic term of time indicated a significant interaction effect between group and time on the arithmetic test after controlling for working memory updating and socioeconomic status. IG children differed significantly from ACG children in their trajectory of arithmetic performance and outperformed them at T3. A multilevel ordinal logistic regression of teachers’ ratings of students’ mathematics performance revealed no significant differences between IG and ACG. Daily breathing exercises in primary school classrooms seem to be effective in enhancing children's performance in arithmetic. Preregistration: The study was preregistered at aspredicted.org (#44925)
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 14
- 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
- Improving stress management, anxiety, and mental well-being in medical students through an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention: a randomized study. Scientific Reports May 22, 2023
- The influences of mindfulness on high-stakes mathematics test achievement of middle school students Frontiers in Psychology April 6, 2023
- A multicenter feasibility study on implementing a brief mindful breathing exercise into regular university courses. Scientific Reports May 16, 2023
- Mindfulness-based school interventions: A systematic review of outcome evidence quality by study design Mindfulness May 23, 2022
and 9 more in the library