Guidelines for Adapting Mindfulness-Based School Interventions with Youth Who Are Racially and Ethnically Marginalized

Abstract

Youth who are racially and ethnically marginalized in the United States are placed at risk for mental health disparities and inequities. We propose that promoting social-emotional competencies through universal school-based service delivery is one potential solution for improving the accessibility and quality of support for these youth. We further propose that mindfulness-based school interventions may be especially useful as universal supports for promoting social-emotional competencies, as they are broadly effective, low-cost, scalable, and flexible. This work unpacks the empirical and logical proposition driving this proposal, and then provides guidelines to help school-based consultants (e.g., school psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals in schools) translate this proposition into practice. Our guidelines have two emphases: first, we offer recommendations for consultants to support implementers in tailoring mindfulness-based school interventions to engage the student population; second, we discuss strategies for consultants to support implementers themselves as they engage with the process of implementing mindfulness-based interventions in schools.