Mindful Meditation Training for ADHD among AdolescentsA Review Paper
Neerja Gautam
JOURNAL OF ADVANCE AND FUTURE RESEARCH April 1, 2026 DOI: 10.56975/jaafr.v4i4.506353 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindfulness training Mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Argues that mindfulness training is a promising approach for ADHD, citing evidence that meditative practices improve attention and may ameliorate symptoms by activating brain regions involved in sustaining and directing attention. Reports that more than a third of adults with ADHD use the practice and about 40% rate it highly, and that a UCLA study found weekly sessions plus 8 weeks of daily home practice improved focus and reduced depression and anxiety. |
Abstract
Attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder(ADHD ) is a developmental condition involving deficits in the regulation of attention, activity level, and impulses, and is defined, in part, by its childhood onset.Although ,previously thought of as `outgrown’ during adolescence, ADHD typically persists into adolescence(and even adulthood) for majority of the cases. In recent years, mindfulness training MT has been explored in ADHD populations to address ongoing distractibility, emotional dysregulation and impulsivity. Evidence suggests that certain meditative practices improve attention and may ameliorate the symptoms of ADHD by activating brain regions implicated in both sustaining and directing attention. There is much to gain from an improved understanding of the possible role of MT in enhancing attention. More than a third of adults with ADHD use this practice, and about 40% give it high ratings, according to a 2017 survey by ADDitude magazine. Research shows that mindfulness meditation can be very helpful in relieving ADHD symptoms. One landmark UCLA study found that people with ADHD who attended a mindfulness meditation session once a week for 2 1/2 hours, then completed a daily home meditation practice that gradually increased from 5 to 15 minutes over 8 weeks, were better able to stay focused on tasks. They were also less depressed and anxious. This article defines mindfulness based interventions, explored the supporting for the use of meditation for inattention in ADHD and reviewed the types of mindfulness training that have been developed for this population .
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness Based Programs Implemented with At-Risk Adolescents. The open nursing journal April 30, 2016
- Mindfulness Meditation Training for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adulthood: Current Empirical Support, Treatment Overview, and Future Directions. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice May 1, 2015