Effect of Integrated Mindfulness Meditation on the Mental Well-being of Adolescents from Diverse Backgrounds: A Quasi-experimental Study
Vintu Augustine, Greta D’Souza
Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health October 13, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/09731342261493256 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | Adolescents from socioeconomically and ethnolinguistically diverse backgrounds in Northeast India attending a private secondary school |
| Intervention | Integrated Mindfulness Meditation for Adolescents (IMM-A) |
| Duration | 8 weeks (24 sessions) |
| Measures | Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences for Adolescents, Mental Health Continuum–Short Form |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The experimental group showed significant improvements in mindfulness (d = 0.99) and mental health (d = 0.67), while the comparison group showed no significant changes. Post-intervention between-group differences were significant for mindfulness (d = 0.50) and mental health (d = 0.52). The authors conclude that the culturally adapted IMM-A program led to significant improvements and may be a scalable, equitable, and feasible school-based option. |
Abstract
Background: One in seven (13%) adolescents around the world suffer from mental health concerns. Youth in culturally diverse and under-resourced areas are no different. Mindfulness-based interventions seem to help promote mental well-being among adolescents. This study examined the effect of an 8-week school-based intervention, Integrated Mindfulness Meditation for Adolescents (IMM-A), on adolescents’ mindfulness and mental health. The participants were from socioeconomically and ethnolinguistically diverse backgrounds in Northeast India.
Methods: Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, the study included 72 participants (experimental = 36, comparison = 36) from a private secondary school. Implemented over 8 weeks, the intervention comprised 24 sessions with culturally resonant mindfulness practices. The Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences for Adolescents and the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form were used to collect the data, which were analyzed in SPSS v29 using t tests, mixed ANOVA, and effect size calculations.
Results: Significant gains in mindfulness ( t = 7.67, P < .001, d = 0.99) and mental health ( t = 8.89, P < .001, d = 0.67) were demonstrated by the experimental group, but the comparison group showed no significant changes. The post-intervention between-group differences were also significant for mindfulness ( d = 0.50) and mental health ( d = 0.52). Time × group interactions for both mindfulness and mental health ( ηp 2 = 0.330 and 0.221) also showed statistical significance.
Conclusions: The developmentally attuned and culturally adapted IMM-A program led to significant improvements in participants’ mindfulness and mental health. The study’s findings indicate that brief mindfulness practices in routine conditions can enhance engagement and outcomes. It offers a scalable, equitable, and feasible option to promote adolescent well-being in school contexts.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- A Systematic Review on the State of the Art of Culturally Adapted Mindfulness-Based Interventions for First Nations Peoples: Cultural Adaptation, Effectiveness, and Feasibility Mindfulness September 1, 2024
- How we teach mindfulness matters: Adolescent development and the importance of informal mindfulness. Journal of school psychology August 1, 2024
- Universal Mindfulness Training in Schools for Adolescents: a Scoping Review and Conceptual Model of Moderators, Mediators, and Implementation Factors Prevention Science August 1, 2022
and 1 more in the library