Research Review

The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Bibliographic Data

ID23334531
AuthorsDarren Dunning (0000-0002-7696-4143, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, corresponding author), Darren L Dunning (Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit University of Cambridge Cambridge UK), Kirsty Griffiths (0000-0001-7158-2683, Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit University of Cambridge Cambridge UK), Willem Kuyken (0000-0002-8596-5252, Department of Psychiatry University of Oxford Oxford UK), Conrad Crane (0000-0002-4579-0670, University of Oxford), Catherine Crane (Department of Psychiatry University of Oxford Oxford UK), Lucy Foulkes (0000-0002-8122-4270, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience University College London London UK), Jenna Parker (0000-0001-9418-0409, Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit University of Cambridge Cambridge UK), Tim Dalgleish (0000-0002-7304-2231, Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit University of Cambridge Cambridge UK)
Year2019
Volume60
Issue3
Pages244-258
Publication date2019-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9630 • E-ISSN: 1469-7610
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/jcpp.12980
PMID30345511
OpenAlexW2897917146
LanguageEN
Citations received92
References cited72

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) are an increasingly popular way of attempting to improve the behavioural, cognitive and mental health outcomes of children and adolescents, though there is a suggestion that enthusiasm has moved ahead of the evidence base. Most evaluations of MBIs are either uncontrolled or nonrandomized trials. This meta-analysis aims to establish the efficacy of MBIs for children and adolescents in studies that have adopted a randomized, controlled trial (RCT) design. METHODS: A systematic literature search of RCTs of MBIs was conducted up to October 2017. Thirty-three independent studies including 3,666 children and adolescents were included in random effects meta-analyses with outcome measures categorized into cognitive, behavioural and emotional factors. Separate random effects meta-analyses were completed for the seventeen studies (n = 1,762) that used an RCT design with an active control condition. RESULTS: Across all RCTs we found significant positive effects of MBIs, relative to controls, for the outcome categories of Mindfulness, Executive Functioning, Attention, Depression, Anxiety/Stress and Negative Behaviours, with small effect sizes (Cohen's d), ranging from .16 to .30. However, when considering only those RCTs with active control groups, significant benefits of an MBI were restricted to the outcomes of Mindfulness (d = .42), Depression (d = .47) and Anxiety/Stress (d = .18) only. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis reinforces the efficacy of using MBIs for improving the mental health and wellbeing of youth as assessed using the gold standard RCT methodology. Future RCT evaluations should incorporate scaled-up definitive trial designs to further evaluate the robustness of MBIs in youth, with an embedded focus on mechanisms of action.

Anxiety · Cognition · Mental health · Meta-analysis · Mindfulness · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Randomized controlled trial · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Medicine · Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology