Mindfulness in preadolescents : a feasibility study on the efficacy and acceptance of a school-based training (“8SAM”)

Abstract

Objectives Interest in mindfulness-based programs for students in school settings is growing. Few such programs exist for secondary schools in Germany and none is specifically tailored for integration into the full-year 5th grade school curriculum. Moreover, qualitative surveys of student acceptance are lacking. Therefore, this study assessed the efficacy and acceptance of a school-based mindfulness training (“8SAM”) tailored for preadolescents in the 5th grade.

Methods In this feasibility study, the mindfulness training was implemented by trained classroom teachers in a German gymnasium (a type of secondary school) as part of the regular school curriculum for an entire school year. In total, 95 preadolescents aged 10–12 years participated. Following a mixed-methods approach, both quantitative and qualitative instruments were employed. Self-report measures based on the German version of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) were longitudinally assessed at baseline (t0), mid-intervention (t1), and post-intervention (t2). Acceptance of the training was surveyed using quantitative and qualitative self-reports.

Results A one-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of time (F(1.66, 151.41) = 14.23, p < 0.001, = 0.14), with mindfulness increasing at t1 and t2. Acceptance was more ambiguous: 52.43% of preadolescents liked the “quiet” and “calm” atmosphere or interactive exercises whereas 17% rated the training as “boring.”

Conclusions The findings suggest that 8SAM (a) can be implemented by classroom teachers as part of the regular full-year 5th grade curriculum and (b) may increase mindfulness in preadolescents. Furthermore, (c) to increase preadolescents’ subjective benefits and acceptance, more age-appropriate didactic approaches need to be identified and implemented.