The Impact of a Brief Mindfulness Program with a Small Group of Middle School Students

Abstract

Historically, the study of mindfulness has mostly focused on how it can benefit adults. Research has expanded to focus on how mindfulness can benefit children; however, most studies reviewed involve resource-heavy programs that continue over many weeks. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a brief intervention that focused on the breathing and sensory components of mindfulness, and its impact on mild anxiety symptoms among a small group of middle school students. Seven children who, per parent report, experienced nonclinical levels of anxiety participated in two teaching sessions: (a) one to teach about the mindfulness exercises, and (b) the second to explicitly teach about symptoms of anxiety followed by a two-week self-monitoring session, where they independently practiced the mindfulness techniques in response to anxiety symptoms. The techniques were moderately effective at reducing anxiety symptoms and the participants and their parents viewed the intervention as socially valid.