A Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Students With Psychiatric Disorders in a Special Education Curriculum: A Series of n-of-1 Trials on Internalized and Externalized Symptoms
Catherine Malboeuf-Hurtubise, Geneviève Taylor, Linda Paquette, Éric Lacourse
Frontiers in Education September 3, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2018.00066 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Series of n-of-1 trials with an experimental A-B-A design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Elementary school students with psychiatric disorders in two special education classrooms (Group A, n=7; Group B, n=6), plus their teachers |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Students in Group A showed significant decreases in inattention and a near-significant trend toward reduced anxiety (p=.051), while their teacher reported only deteriorating anxiety scores; Group B showed no significant results. The authors conclude that variation across students, cohorts, and raters was substantial, so no firm conclusion about the utility of mindfulness-based interventions for these students can be established. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) constitute a promising option to alleviate psychological symptoms in students with psychiatric disorders.
Objective: This study evaluated the impact of a MBI on psychological symptoms of elementary school students with psychiatric disorders in a special education curriculum.
Method: A series of n-of-1 trials with an experimental A-B-A design and 10 assessment time-points was used. Participants were two special education classrooms of elementary school students (Group A, n=7; Group B, n=6; ntotal = 13) and their teachers.
Results: Analyses showed that, at follow-up, students from Group A reported significant decreases in inattention and a trend (p=.051) was observed in anxiety symptoms, whereas their teacher reported only deteriorating anxiety scores. No significant results were found in students from Group B.
Conclusion: Results from this study show substantial variation between students, tested cohorts and raters of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and behaviors. Therefore, the conservative conclusion from such variation can only be that more research is needed, as no firm conclusion as to the utility of MBIs for such groups of children with special education needs can be established.
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
Cites 14
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for the treatment of adolescent psychiatric outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2009
- A mind you can count on: validating breath counting as a behavioral measure of mindfulness Frontiers in Psychology October 24, 2014
- School-Based Mindfulness Instruction: An RCT Pediatrics December 19, 2015
- Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on the Perception of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction among Special Education Students International Journal of Disability, Development and Education July 13, 2017
and 9 more in the library