How we teach mindfulness matters: Adolescent development and the importance of informal mindfulness.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Individual randomized controlled trial with three parallel arms.
PubMed 38876551 · doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2024.101323
What was done
Adolescents (n = 142; 73.9% female) were randomly assigned to a 4-week formal mindfulness group (structured meditation), an informal mindfulness group (brief practices integrated into daily routine), or a comparison group. Mental health, well-being, and educational outcomes were evaluated across baseline to follow-up.
What was found
The informal mindfulness group showed a significantly higher intention to frequently use the strategies (p = .025, Cramer's V = .262) and increased dispositional mindfulness from baseline to follow-up (p = .049, partial eta squared = .034). This increase in dispositional mindfulness mediated significant indirect benefits on anxiety (indirect effect = -0.21, 95% CI [-0.36, -0.06]), depression (indirect effect = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.31, -0.03]), general stress (indirect effect = -0.16, 95% CI [-0.32, -0.04]), school-related stress (indirect effect = -0.15, 95% CI [-0.28, -0.05]), negative affect (indirect effect = -0.17, 95% CI [-0.35, -0.04]), and attentional control (indirect effect = 0.07, 95% CI [0.01, 0.13]). Direct effect sizes between groups on primary clinical outcomes were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
Standard meditation practices often face low adherence among teenagers. This trial demonstrates that brief, unstructured informal practices may be more developmentally acceptable and feasible for school-based implementation.
Limits
The sample was modest (n = 142), heavily female-skewed (73.9%), and relied on self-reported outcomes. The specific nature of the comparison group was not defined in the abstract, and long-term behavioral maintenance was not assessed.