The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Intervention in Attention on Individuals with ADHD: A Systematic Review
C. Lee, Mangesh Ma, Hin-Yui Ho, Ka-Kei Tsang, Y. Zheng, Z. Wu
Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy December 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.hkjot.2017.05.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with ADHD across age groups (children, adolescents, and adults) in the reviewed studies |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The review indicates that mindfulness-based intervention was more commonly used in adults with ADHD and was associated with significant improvements in attention. The authors conclude that effectiveness for children and adolescents remains unclear because few studies are available and the reviewed studies have design limitations. |
Abstract
Background/Objective Mindfulness-based intervention has received more clinical interest and empirical support for individuals with ADHD especially to improve attention. However, no systematic review has been done to analyze and compare the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention on individuals with ADHD in different age groups. This review examined its effectiveness for individuals (children, adolescents and adults) with ADHD to improve attention.
Methods: In 7 databases, totally of 152 studies were identified; 9 met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were reviewed. Five of the studies recruited adults as the participants, two recruited adolescents as the participants, one recruited both adults and adolescents as the participants and one recruited children as the participants.
Results: It was found that mindfulness-based intervention was comparatively more popularly used in adults with ADHD to improve attention, and the improvement was significant.
Conclusion: It is still unclear whether mindfulness-based intervention is effective for children and adolescence with ADHD due to limited studies available and the limitations of the study design in the reviewed studies. Therefore, more research in the future is required to answer the question.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Mindfulness-Based Intervention Effects on EEG and Executive Functions: A Systematic Review. Brain Sciences March 20, 2025
- Assessing the impact of mindfulness programs on attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: a systematic review. BMC Pediatrics January 14, 2025
- Mindfulness Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Psychiatry International December 7, 2022
- Effectiveness of mindfulness parent training on parenting stress and children’s ADHD-related behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analysis Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy June 1, 2022
and 3 more in the library
Cites 14
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Journal of Child and Family Studies February 1, 2011
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Behavioral Problems and Attentional Functioning in Adolescents with ADHD Journal of Child and Family Studies September 21, 2011
- The Efficacy of Adapted MBCT on Core Symptoms and Executive Functioning in Adults With ADHD: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Attention Disorders February 2019
and 9 more in the library