Motivation Will Forever Restrict the Scalability of Universal School-based Mindfulness Interventions for Adolescents
PsyArXiv May 18, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/c95ky (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Randomized |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that universal school-based mindfulness interventions are limited by the high motivational commitment meditation requires, since adolescents often report low engagement and many trials have not improved mental health. Proposes that universal programs drop meditation and instead instill contemplative viewpoints, reserving mindfulness skill training for adolescents who want to meditate. |
Abstract
In this essay, I argue that the scalability and effectiveness of universal school-based mindfulness interventions for adolescents will always be limited by the high motivational commitment required to meditate. Mindfulness interventions rely on a single and demanding health behavior—namely, meditation—to cultivate mindfulness skills. But unlike traditional mindfulness interventions delivered in clinics to self-selected adults who are motivated to manage personal problems through meditation, universal school-based mindfulness interventions are delivered to all adolescents regardless of their desire to meditate. I review evidence from multiple randomized controlled trials of universal school-based mindfulness interventions to show that adolescents consistently report low engagement in meditation, and that many interventions have so far failed to improve adolescents’ mental health. I propose that universal mindfulness interventions eliminate meditation entirely and focus on instilling contemplative viewpoints conducive to flourishing, and that the skill of mindfulness is only taught to adolescents who want to meditate.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 19
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse JAMA Psychiatry April 28, 2016
- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
and 14 more in the library