Clinical application of mindfulness-oriented meditation in children with ADHD: a preliminary study on sleep and behavioral problems
Vittoria Zaccari, Ornella Santonastaso, L. Mandolesi, F. de Crescenzo, F. Foti, Cristiano Crescentini, Franco Fabbro, Stefano Vicari, G. Curcio, 0000-0002-3459-2601Deny Menghini
Psychology and Health March 7, 2021 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2021.1892110 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preliminary controlled trial with an active control condition Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Children with ADHD aged 7-11 years |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Oriented Meditation (MOM) training |
| Duration | Eight weeks, three times per week |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Positive effects on sleep and behavioral measures were found only in the MOM group, not the active control group. The authors conclude that MOM training is a promising, though preliminary, approach for improving sleep quality and behavioral manifestations in children with ADHD. |
Abstract
Abstract Objective High incidence of sleep problems in children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been described. Mindfulness meditation has emerged as a novel approach to sleep disturbances and insomnia remediation. This preliminary study tested the efficacy of Mindfulness-Oriented Meditation (MOM) training on sleep quality and behavioral problems in children with ADHD.
Design: Twenty-five children with ADHD aged 7-11 years underwent two programs three times per week for eight-weeks: the MOM training (15 children) and an Active Control Condition (10 children). Main Outcome Measures Objective and subjective measures of sleep quality and behavioral measures were collected before and after the programs.
Results: Positive effects on sleep and behavioral measures were found only in the MOM group.
Conclusion: Although they are preliminary, our results indicate that MOM training is a promising tool for ameliorating sleep quality and behavioral manifestations in ADHD.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Mindfulness Strategies for Metacognitive Skills Training in Special Education: The Role of Virtual Reality Technium Social Sciences Journal September 9, 2022
- Effects of mindfulness meditation combined with progressive muscle relaxation on sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression in patients with sarcopenia undergoing hemodialysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2025
- Efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry September 16, 2026
- Mindfulness-based interventions in psychopedagogy for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): a scoping review Frontiers in Psychology August 11, 2026
- Studies on the impact of meditation on mental health: A critical review. Psychiatria Danubina April 1, 2026
and 5 more in the library
Cites 19
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia Sleep August 29, 2014
- Experienced Mindfulness Meditators Exhibit Higher Parietal-Occipital EEG Gamma Activity during NREM Sleep PLoS One August 28, 2013
- Short Meditation Trainings Enhance Non-REM Sleep Low-Frequency Oscillations PLoS One February 22, 2016
and 14 more in the library