Multilevel meta-analysis of school mindfulness-based intervention programs in Spain
María José Arenilla Villalba, David Alarcón, Amapola Povedano
Revista de Psicodidáctica June 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.psicoe.2022.05.002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,471 |
| Population | Children and adolescents in Spanish educational settings |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Across 18 randomized controlled trials with 1,471 participants in Spanish educational settings, mindfulness-based interventions showed a significant overall average effect size of g = 0.62. Effects were significant across personal and social development, mood states, cognitive functions, emotional intelligence, emotional and behavioral adjustment, and mindfulness skills. The authors report that all intervention types analyzed had significant effects, particularly among older participants, and that home practice and longer sessions improved effectiveness. |
Abstract
Numerous studies support the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in children and adolescents. Recent meta-analyses on the efficacy of these interventions in educational settings have found significant improvements in cognitive and behavioral measures with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. However, no meta-analyses have evaluated the efficacy of MBIs in the Spanish educational setting. In this study, a systematic search of published articles and doctoral theses was performed through March 2022, with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as an eligibility criterion. Eighteen studies with 1471 participants were included in the three-level meta-analysis. The overall average effect size was significant (g = 0.62), and significant effect sizes were obtained for all dimensions except for the mindfulness skills dimension, which included the following variables: personal and social development (g = 0.84), mood states (g = 0.44), cognitive functions (g = 0.67), emotional intelligence (g = 0.61), emotional and behavioral adjustment (g = 0.54), and mindfulness skills (g = 0.51). The analysis of the moderating variables showed that all the MBI types analyzed have significant effects, especially among the older participants, and that engaging in home practice and increasing the session duration in minutes improves their effectiveness. The results are relevant for research and for the implementation of mindfulness-based intervention programs in educational centers. Existen numerosos estudios cuyos resultados apoyan los beneficios de las intervenciones basadas en mindfulness (MBIs) en niños y adolescentes. Recientes meta-análisis sobre la eficacia de estas intervenciones en contextos educativos encuentran mejoras significativas en medidas cognitivas y conductuales con tamaños de efecto que varían de pequeños a moderados. Sin embargo, no existen meta-análisis que evalúen la eficacia de las MBIs en el ámbito educativo español. En este estudio se ha realizado una búsqueda sistemática de artículos publicados y tesis doctorales hasta marzo de 2022, incluyendo como criterio de elegibilidad los ensayos con diseño controlado aleatorizado (RCTs). En el meta-análisis de tres niveles se han incluido 18 estudios con un total de 1471 participantes. El tamaño de efecto promedio global ha sido significativo (g = 0.62), además se han obtenido tamaños de efecto significativos para todas las dimensiones excepto para la dimensión habilidades de mindfulness: desarrollo personal y social (g = 0.84); estados de ánimo (g = 0.44); funciones cognitivas (g = 0.67); inteligencia emocional (g = 0.61); ajuste emocional y conductual (g = 0.54); habilidades de mindfulness (g = 0.51). El análisis de las variables moderadoras muestra que todos los tipos de MBIs analizados tienen efectos significativos, especialmente entre los participantes de mayor edad, y que la realización de prácticas en casa y el aumento de la duración en minutos de las sesiones mejora su eficacia. Los resultados son relevantes para la investigación y para la implementación de programas de intervención basados en mindfulness en centros educativos.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- 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
- Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools Educational Psychology Review March 1, 2015
- Exploring the Effects of a Mindfulness Program for Students of Secondary School International Journal of Knowledge Society Research 2011
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
- Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2014
and 1 more in the library