The Effects of Neuroscience-Based Mindfulness Training on Adolescents
Ezgi Özeke-Kocabaş, Bengisu Koyuncu
International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies October 20, 2023 DOI: 10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.11n.4p.332 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed-methods preliminary study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Eleventh-grade high school students |
| Intervention | Neuroscience-based mindfulness training |
| Duration | 4 weeks, 6 sessions |
| Measures | Positive and Negative Emotion Scale (PANAS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale adapted for high school students (DASS-42), Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | The mindfulness training was associated with significant increases in non-judgmental awareness and positive emotions, but no significant change in stress or anxiety scores. Students reported improved ability to identify emotions and manage stress in interviews, which the authors interpret as supporting emotional regulation. |
Abstract
This preliminary study aims to address situations such as high anxiety, stress, inability to focus, and physical burnout experienced by students in the exams made during the transition to a higher education process in the educational system. It also aims to contribute to the development of students’ academic and social-emotional skills, in other words emotional literacy through mindfulness training. For this reason, the effects of neuroscience-based mindfulness training on pupils in the eleventh grade’s levels of stress, anxiety, and positive and negative emotions were explored. Seven voluntarily recruited high school juniors in the 11th grade made up the study’s sample. The study was conducted over the course of 4 weeks and 6 sessions with the children after school. Data gathering tools are congruent with mixed method research design. Data collection instruments of Positive and Negative Emotion Scale (PANAS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale adapted for high school students (DASS-42) and Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents were employed as pre and posttest measurements. The study also conducted pre- and post-interview forms to gather opinions from the students regarding the study. The results of the study revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of being non-judgmental subscale of the Adolescent Mindfulness Scale (p=.023 .05) and the positive emotion subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (p=.018 .05). However, there was no significant difference found in terms of stress and anxiety scores, as measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42). During the interviews with the students, it was reported that they were able to identify their emotions and had started to effectively manage stress. This finding supports the results regarding emotional regulation. Based on these findings, it is suggested that implementing mindfulness activities and integrating them into existing school programs could be beneficial. Such programs would assist students in managing their stress, regulating their emotions, and ultimately contribute to their overall learning experience, which is supposed to contribute to their academic and emotional literacy.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Metacognitive awareness and prevention of relapse in depression: Empirical evidence. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2002
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
and 8 more in the library