Study: Mindfulness training doesn’t boost kids’ mental health

By Mark Waghorn via SWNS

Trendy mindfulness training doesn't boost school kids' mental health, according to new research.

The practise draws on Buddhist thinking - and has been introduced in up to 370 schools in England.

But it probably isn't warranted - and other options may need to be considered.

The study found there are some benefits for teachers and the 'school climate' - the academic, community, safety and structural features.

But any benefits are short-lived and overall evidence for the effectiveness of the approach - as delivered in its current format - is weak.

The MYRIAD (My Resilience in Adolescence) trial involved thousands of teens and hundreds of teachers across the UK.

Co-author Professor Willem Kuyken, of the University of Oxford, said: "The use of this specific school-based mindfulness curriculum, as a universal intervention for young people in early adolescence, is not indicated.

"Future research should explore whether different social−emotional trainings might be appropriate to promote mental health, paying close attention to the unique needs of young people in terms of their age and mental health status."

The findings in Evidence Based Mental Health are based on five studies involving 85 schools, nearly 700 teachers and almost 8,500 pupils aged 11 to 16.

All of the participants received standard social-emotional learning as part of the curriculum.

Dr. Elaine Lockhart, Chair of the Child and Adolescent Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which co-owns the journal, said: "Mindfulness can be helpful in managing emotions, but it won’t be enough for those children and young people who need support with their mental wellbeing, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.

"They will need a full range of services to meet their mental health needs, and getting help early is absolutely key in preventing mental health problems from developing or escalating in adulthood.

"That is why it’s vital that schools appoint mental health leads who are given enough time and training to deliver on the whole school approach and to have mental health support teams in place, so that children and young people can get help before they reach crisis.

"A small number will also need properly staffed specialist mental health services to provide clinical care and to work with other services in the communities where they live."

Mental health problems often start during the teen years, say the MYRIAD trial researchers.

It is a period of heightened vulnerability amid increasing academic, social and emotional demands.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) is currently taught in secondary schools. It aims to develop the self-awareness, self-control and interpersonal skills that young teens need for school, work and personal life.

One approach that has shown promise is mindfulness training. The version offered in UK schools typically involves teachers learning mindfulness themselves.

It is followed by training in how to deliver it to their students in 10 lessons of 30-50 minutes.

Mindfulness training involves learning how to pay attention (attentional control) and understand and manage feelings and behavior (emotional and social regulation).

It is aimed at boosting resilience in the face of external stressors and promoting good mental health.

Previous research suggests mindfulness training is good for teachers and students. Many schools are experimenting with it.

But design flaws and inadequate numbers of participants have undermined the findings of most of these studies.

In one trial, 41 and 310 schools were randomly assigned to continue SEL while 43 schools and 362 teachers included mindfulness training.

After an initial eight-week course the mindfulness programme enhanced teachers' mental health and reduced burnout as well as improved some dimensions of the school climate. But after a year, these effects had all but disappeared.

In another 460 11 to 16-year-olds were randomly assigned to either mindfulness training (235) or to a matched study skills curriculum (225) before the advent of COVID-19.

They were monitored in the midst of the pandemic to see whether mindfulness training had enabled them to stave off worsening mental health.

There was no evidence that it had been any more protective than study skills training.

The results of a further comparative study suggested school mindfulness training might be best suited for older children and those who are well.

It was deemed unsuitable for younger children and those with existing/emerging mental health symptoms, prompting the researchers to question its use as a universal intervention.

A pooled data analysis of 66 randomised controlled trials involving 20,168 participants, indicated that mindfulness-based programmes led to small but significant improvements.

These included attention, self-control, antisocial behavior, depression and anxiety/stress, compared with other approaches.

But the programmes didn’t improve wellbeing, nor was there any evidence of sustained benefits a year later.

Prof Kuyken said: "The enthusiasm for [mindfulness-based programmes] in youth has arguably run ahead of the evidence.

"While they show promising results for some outcomes, in general, the evidence is of low quality and inconclusive."

Prof Pim Cuijpers, of Vrije University Amsterdam, who was not involved in the study, says it is still unclear if universal mindfulness training in schools really does boost psychological resilience and stave off mental ill health.

He said: "The fully powered, high quality MYRIAD trial was a courageous attempt to come up with the right answer. It showed that universal prevention is probably not effective.

"Although no definite conclusion about this can yet be drawn, because there may be alternative explanations for the null findings, we seriously have to consider that it simply does not work.

"That is not a positive conclusion, but it does point out that we may have to consider other options."

Added Dr Dan O’Hare co vice-chair of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology, of the British Psychological Society, which also co-owns the journal: "The findings from this study certainly suggest there is a need to consider whether the mental health support we are providing to teenagers within schools is fit for purpose.

"While mindfulness sessions can be hugely beneficial, it is important to understand that it isn't a surface level intervention, and how children and teenagers respond to it will be affected by the context in which it’s being taught and the school environment.

"We would always advocate for mental health support programmes and interventions to be led by a psychologist and informed by psychological expertise and evidence. And this often needs to be tailored to individual children and their circumstances.

"It is important not to view mindfulness sessions as a panacea, and as an 'off the shelf' product that can just help teenagers and their teachers to become 'more resilient', without appreciating all the other influential factors, such as the school environment."