Regular Attendance of In-Person and Virtual World Mindfulness Meditation Classes and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Symptoms: Does Practice Time Make a Difference?
V. Rice, Gary L. Boykin
April 5, 2023 DOI: 10.21236/ad1210034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled trial with wait-list control |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 179 |
| Population | US military active-duty service members and veterans |
| Measures | Attention deficit and hyperactivity current symptoms scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both in-person and virtual world mindfulness-based mental training (MMT) significantly reduced overall ADHD symptoms, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and inattention (ps < 0.001), while a wait-list control group showed no significant changes. Neither in-class time nor self-reported personal practice time was significantly correlated with symptom improvements (ps > 0.05). The authors conclude that virtual delivery may be preferred because it achieves similar symptom reductions with fewer training hours. |
Abstract
reduction. In the current study, 179 US military active-duty service members and veterans completed the attention deficit and hyperactivity current symptoms scale before and after being placed into an in-person (23–27 in-class h) or virtual world MMT (15 in-class h) group or a wait-list control group. Data from volunteers who attended four or more classes (of nine total classes) was analyzed. In-class time and self-reported personal practice time were also assessed and analyzed. For both MMT groups, significant reductions were found in overall ADHD symptoms, as well as in hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention subscales (ps < 0.001). No significant changes in symptoms were found for the control group. Neither in-class time or self-reported personal practice time was significantly correlated with pre/post improvements (ps > 0.05). The results demonstrate that in-person and virtual world remote delivery of MMT are equally effective at reducing ADHD symptoms, and that in-class time and personal practice time did not impact symptom outcomes. As virtual world training required fewer training hours to achieve the same symptom reductions, it may be the preferred program for ADHD symptomatology.
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 |