A Pilot Study Testing the Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Program for Portuguese School Children

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Mindfulness Studies

Background:

• Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) show promise in school settings, but research is limited.
• Existing studies often have methodological weaknesses and overlook individual child characteristics.
• Understanding how children's traits affect MBP outcomes is crucial for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of an MBP on children's attention, emotional regulation, writing, and academic performance.
• To investigate the moderating roles of baseline scores, age, gender, and socioeconomic status on MBP outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 57 third graders over 8 weeks.
• Mindfulness-based program (MBP) group (n=28) versus a health-based program (active control) group (n=29).
• Assessments included teacher-rated attention/emotion, performance-based attention, writing skills, and school grades.

Main Results:

• The MBP group showed significantly improved teacher-rated attention and emotional regulation compared to the control group.
• Students in the MBP group achieved better grades in Portuguese, Mathematics, and Social Studies.
• Baseline emotional regulation and alerting scores, along with age, moderated the MBP's positive effects.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness-based programs demonstrate preliminary effectiveness in enhancing children's behavior and academic achievement in schools.
• Integrating mindfulness practices into the school curriculum may offer significant benefits for student development.
• Further research is needed to explore individual differences and optimize MBP delivery in educational contexts.