Health Effects of Nature-Based Mindfulness Interventions in Schools: A Scoping Review
Russell McIntire, Elyse Ganss, Katelyn Matthews, Katie Bucher, Sara Martinez
Preprints.org October 16, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.20944/preprints202610.1562.v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review |
|---|---|
| Population | Children and adolescents in school settings |
| Intervention | Nature-based mindfulness (NBM) interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Across ten included studies, school-based nature-based mindfulness interventions were associated with improvements in mental well-being, social-emotional functioning, educational outcomes, and connection to nature. Physical health outcomes, examined in only one study, were not statistically significant. The authors argue the evidence supports the interventions' potential but requires more rigorous study designs. |
Abstract
Schools are an integral setting for early prevention and promotion of mental health and well-being among children and adolescents. Nature-based mindfulness (NBM) interventions combine mindfulness practices with exposure to nature and may be a promising approach to supporting children and adolescent health and well-being. However, no review studies have comprehensively examined the evidence on NBM interventions in schools among children and adolescents. This scoping review summarizes the current evidence on school-based NBM interventions that assess child and adolescent health outcomes and discusses their potential to impact health and well-being. The ten studies included in the scoping review reported associations between NBM interventions and improvements in mental well-being, social-emotional functioning, educational outcomes, and connection to nature. Physical health outcomes were examined in only one study and were not statistically significant. Findings from this review highlight the potential of NBM interventions to support health and well-being among children and adolescents in school settings, while also emphasizing the need for more rigorous methodologies and study designs to strengthen the evidence base to guide equitable and effective implementation.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |