A cluster randomized controlled trial examining the effects of a four-week mindfulness-based practice on primary school students' interpersonal mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and attentional focus.
Li-Jen Lin, Yu-Hsun Lin, Su-Ping Yu, Thu-Hua Liu, Yi-Lang Chen
Frontiers in Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1539962 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cluster randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 281 |
| Population | Middle and senior-grade male and female primary school students from Guanghua Elementary School, Taiwan |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based practice (MBP) |
| Duration | 4-week intervention with 8-week follow-up |
| Measures | interpersonal mindfulness dimensions (Presence, Awareness, Nonreactivity), emotional intelligence (EI), mindfulness (MI, attentional focus), 6-point Likert scales |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Attentional focus Emotional intelligence Interpersonal mindfulness Mindfulness-based practice mbp Schoolchildren |
| Key findings | A four-week mindfulness-based practice intervention improved Presence and Nonreactivity aspects of interpersonal mindfulness and attentional focus in primary school students compared with controls; Presence and attentional focus gains persisted at 8-week follow-up, while Nonreactivity gains diminished. Gender and grade influenced some outcomes, with Awareness improving among boys. |
Abstract
Although mindfulness benefits are well-established across diverse populations, its impact on primary school children's interpersonal mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and attentional focus remains underexplored. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a four-week mindfulness-based practice (MBP) intervention among primary school students. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with 14 classes from Guanghua Elementary School, Taiwan. Classes were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (7 classes, n = 123) or a control group (7 classes, n = 158), encompassing middle and senior-grade male and female students. The intervention group participated in weekly 40-min MBP sessions over 4 weeks. Students completed three validated questionnaires measuring interpersonal mindfulness dimensions (Presence, PR; Awareness, AW; Nonreactivity, NR), emotional intelligence (EI), and mindfulness (MI, attentional focus), using 6-point Likert scales. Assessments were administered at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 8-week follow-up. Baseline scores revealed no significant differences between the groups across all measures. After the 4-week intervention, the intervention group showed significant improvements in PR (p < 0.01), NR (p < 0.01), and MI (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. At the 8-week follow-up, improvements in PR and MI were maintained, while NR gains diminished. Three-way ANOVA identified that gender and grade significantly influenced AW (p < 0.01) and PR (p < 0.05), respectively, with stage effects observed for NR and EI (p < 0.05). Notably, the intervention enhanced AW among boys, and gender-grade interactions had a significant impact on NR and EI outcomes. Overall, the four-week MBP intervention significantly enhanced primary school students' interpersonal mindfulness and attentional focus, with some benefits lasting up to 8 weeks. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring MBP programs to students' developmental stages and gender-specific needs. Future studies should investigate longer interventions and incorporate objective measures to further validate these outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- School‐Based Mindfulness Interventions in Primary Education: A Systematic Review Psychology in the Schools October 15, 2026
- Psychological trajectories following brief mindfulness training: a longitudinal comparison of active and passive controls Frontiers in Psychology August 26, 2026
- Intervention effects of subconscious cultivation in mindfulness-based physical education teaching and training on pain perception and psychological resilience in advanced cancer patients Psycho-Oncologie December 17, 2025
- The Impact of a 12-Week School-Based Mindfulness Programme on Emotional Intelligence: A Cross-National Study of Primary and Secondary Students in Spain and Italy. Journal of Intelligence July 1, 2026
- Mindful Screens: Enhancing Early Childhood Emotional Awareness through Reflective Animation Media Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini Undiksha April 25, 2026
Cites 7
- Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training. Frontiers in Psychology 2017
- Gender differences in response to a school-based mindfulness training intervention for early adolescents. Journal of school psychology June 1, 2018
- Perspectives of Indigenous University Students in Canada on Mindfulness-Based Interventions and their Adaptation to Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Mindfulness February 21, 2023
- Effects of web-based mindfulness training on psychological outcomes, attention, and neuroplasticity. Scientific Reports December 19, 2023
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and 2 more in the library