Mindfulness and Executive Functions: Making the Case for Elementary School Practice

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Mindfulness Studies

Background:

• Mindfulness training is a recognized method for enhancing executive functions (EFs) in students.
• Executive functions are crucial cognitive skills for academic success and daily life.
• Existing research supports mindfulness interventions for improving cognitive abilities in children.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the Mind Yeti program on elementary school students' executive functions.
• To determine if the Mind Yeti program effectively enhances specific executive functions.
• To explore grade-level differences in response to the mindfulness intervention.

Main Methods:

• A school-based mindfulness intervention program (Mind Yeti) was implemented over six weeks.
• Participants included 177 elementary students from third, fourth, and fifth grades.
• Executive functions were assessed using the Executive Function Student Questionnaire (EFSQ) via pre- and posttesting.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated significant improvements in three out of six assessed executive functions.
• Fifth-grade students exhibited a more pronounced positive response to the Mind Yeti program compared to third graders.
• The intervention showed positive effects, aligning with the study's hypothesis.

Conclusions:

• The Mind Yeti program is a viable and effective intervention for enhancing executive functions in elementary school students.
• Mindfulness-based interventions can be successfully integrated into school settings to support cognitive development.
• Further research could explore long-term effects and optimal delivery methods for such programs.