Recommendations for Mindfulness Interventions in the Educational Context

Abstract

Significant clinical problems in children are affecting academic achievement. One of the most important and influential factors is sustained stress in and outside of school. Excessive or sustained stress without the mechanisms to manage it properly impacts the brain structures involved in cognition and emotion regulation in a developing brain. As a consequence, academic performance can be diminished and mental disorders are more likely to occur, especially in children and adolescents who have risk factors and socio-environmental determinants for illness. The application of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) with children and adolescents is a newly evolving field, and has become increasingly popular in recent years, both in research and practice. In this chapter, several reviews and meta-analyses are included, which show that mindfulness-based interventions are effective in healthy individuals and for a wide range of stress related and clinical problems. A key feature of contemplative practices is that they represent forms of mental training that cultivate more positive habits of mind by incorporating repetition and practice exercises. Thus, mindfulness is well aligned with the neuroscientific understanding of how new connections are formed in the brain and how regular mental practice influences brain circuits and complex cognitive function. Research exploring the determinants of meditation practice for adolescents can provide school health programs with critical knowledge when developing and implementing future initiatives that promote at-home practice, thus optimizing their effects.