To address this need, in recent years, there has been growing interest into broad-based school-integrated health promotion interventions that seek to build resilience and augment protective factors in adolescents using Mindfulness-based Interventions (MBIs). 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Kennesaw State University

Between 10 and 20% of adolescents worldwide experience a mental health problem within a given 12-month period. Mental health problems impact on an adolescent’s potential to live a fulfilling and productive life and lead to challenges such as stigma, isolation and discrimination. 

Adolescent Mental Health

Mindfulness-based interventions involves explicitly teaching clients mindfulness techniques to use in their own lives. They are typically group intervention programs that are solely based in mindfulness practices. 

Mindfulness-Based Intervention

Sapthiang, S., Van Gordon, W. & Shonin, E. (2019). Mindfulness in Schools: a Health Promotion Approach to Improving Adolescent Mental Health. Int J Ment Health Addiction 17, 112–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-018-0001-y

Mindfulness in Schools: a Health Promotion Approach to Improving Adolescent Mental Health

This therapy is delivered as a weekly group treatment program over the course of eight weeks. Each weekly session lasts for two hours but completing 45-minute homework assignment six days a week is also required. For homework, participants listen to audio recordings and practice mindfulness meditation.

Techniques Used in MBCT

Emerging evidence indicates that school-based mindfulness resiliency approaches may be a cost-effective means of not only meeting government objectives relating to adolescent mental health, but also for improving the wellbeing of teachers and parents. Furthermore, there is growing evidence indicating that mindfulness can elicit improvements in student learning performance and general classroom behavior. However, notwithstanding these beneficial facets, there remains a need to conduct large-scale empirical investigations that seek to evaluate the effectiveness of school integrated MBIs at a regional or national level.

How Mindfulness Practices in School can Improve Adolescent Mental Health

Promoting Adolescent Mental Health with Mindfulness Based-Interventions

• Low socioeconomic status
• Social isolation
• Exposure to violence 
• Lack of peer or family support

Predictors of Poor Mental Health in Adolescents 

Studies have shown that the health benefits of exercise in teens can significantly improve depression or anxiety.  Getting just 30 minutes of exercise few times a week is very helpful with exercising with anxiety disorder helps reduce the symptoms in Teens helping to calm down.

Adolescent Mental Health and Excercise

- Mindfulness-based stress reduction
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy
- Mindfulness-based relapse prevention
- Mindfulness-based relationship enhancement
- Mindful self-compassion training
- Mindfulness-based eating awareness training
- Mindfulness-based Art Therapy

Examples of Mindfulness-Based Interventions

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are effective in treating chronic pain, improving overall mental well-being, and decreasing depression and anxiety in clinically diagnosed patients. Furthermore, meta-analyses of non-clinical groups indicate that mindfulness practices significantly reduce negative emotions.

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