Effect of mindfulness and yoga on quality of life for elementary school students and teachers: results of a randomized controlled school-based study
Alessandra N Bazzano, Christopher E. Anderson, Chelsea Hylton, J. Gustat
Psychology Research and Behavior Management April 10, 2018 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s157503 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 52 |
| Population | Third-grade elementary school students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety |
| Intervention | Yoga/mindfulness activities |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Measures | Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | The yoga/mindfulness intervention was associated with a 14.17-unit increase in emotional PedsQL and a 7.43-unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL compared with usual care, with results not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers reported using yoga more frequently after the second professional development session, while perceived barriers remained similar and perceived benefits stayed high. The authors suggest such interventions may improve anxiety symptoms and complement social-emotional learning. |
Abstract
Objective: To assess the impact of a yoga curriculum in an elementary school on student quality of life, and to assess teacher and staff perception of potential barriers to, and benefits of, introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was utilized to assess the impact of a brief intervention on third-grade students who screened positive for symptoms of anxiety. Students were randomized to an intervention group of 20 students receiving small-group yoga/mindfulness activities for 8 weeks between October 2016 and February 2017, and a control group of 32 students receiving care as usual. The Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale-Peabody Treatment Progress Battery and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) served as outcomes. Teachers were invited to participate in two professional development sessions about introducing yoga and mindfulness into the classroom, and completed a survey following each of the sessions.
Results: In generalized estimating equation models adjusted for time, the yoga-based intervention was associated with a 14.17 unit increase in student emotional PedsQL (p-value 0.001) and a 7.43 unit increase in psychosocial PedsQL (p-value 0.01). Results were not attenuated by adjustment. Teachers and staff reported using yoga more frequently in the classroom following the second of two professional development sessions (p-value <0.05). Perceived barriers to introducing yoga to the classroom were similar at two data collection time points, while perceived benefits remained high.
Conclusion: The intervention was associated with a significant improvement in emotional and psychosocial quality of life in the intervention group when compared to the control group, suggesting that yoga/mindfulness interventions may improve symptoms of anxiety among students. Yoga/mindfulness activities may facilitate stress management among elementary school students and may be added as a complement to social and emotional learning activities.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- An exploratory cluster-randomized controlled trial on mindfulness yoga's effectiveness in school-refusing children: reductions in SCAS-C physical injury fears and pulse rate. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2024
- Enhancing Mental Well-Being and Language Learning Through Mindfulness and Yoga-Based Practices Applied Mindfulness and Integrative Practices for Mental Well-Being May 6, 2026
- Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Reduce Sensitivity to Anxiety in a Spanish Primary Education Setting Mindfulness February 1, 2025
- Rural sixth-grade teachers' and students' perceptions of a mindfulness-based mental health curriculum. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- Effect of Yoga and Mindfulness Intervention on Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Young Adolescents Attending Middle School: A Pragmatic Community-Based Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial in a Racially Diverse Urban Setting International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 24, 2022
Cites 7
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Standardised Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Healthcare: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of RCTs PLoS One April 16, 2015
- "The Program Affects Me 'Cause it Gives Away Stress": Urban Students' Qualitative Perspectives on Stress and a School-Based Mindful Yoga Intervention. Explore August 18, 2016
- Enhancing Cognitive and Social–Emotional Development Through a Simple-to-Administer Mindfulness-Based School Program for Elementary School Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial Developmental Psychology 2015
- Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2014
and 2 more in the library