Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of a School-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Urban Youth
Abstract
Youth in underserved, urban communities are at risk for a range of negative outcomes related to stress, including social-emotional difficulties, behavior problems, and poor academic performance. Mindfulness-based approaches may improve adjustment among chronically stressed and disadvantaged youth by enhancing self-regulatory capacities. This paper reports findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial assessing the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a school-based mindfulness and yoga intervention. Four urban public schools were randomized to an intervention or wait-list control condition (n=97 fourth and fifth graders, 60.8% female). It was hypothesized that the 12-week intervention would reduce involuntary stress responses and improve mental health outcomes and social adjustment. Stress responses, depressive symptoms, and peer relations were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Findings suggest the intervention was attractive to students, teachers, and school administrators and that it had a positive impact on problematic responses to stress including rumination, intrusive thoughts, and emotional arousal.
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Mindfulness practice among students improves their interpersonal relationships.
“Studies have shown that mindfulness practice among students has improved their interpersonal relationships (Mendelson et al., 2010), fostered pro-social behaviour (Harpin et al., 2016), enhanced consideration for others, including minority groups (Black & Fernando, 2014), reduced prejudice, and promoted positive thoughts towards minorities (Berger et al., 2018).”
From The influence of teacher-guided mindfulness practice on inter and intra-personal abilities among Israeli Arab students (2024) · cites this paper as Mendelson et al., 2010
Mindfulness practices among students can effectively reduce anxiety.
“Studies have consistently demonstrated that mindfulness practices among students can effectively reduce anxiety (Mendelson et al., 2010).”
From The influence of teacher-guided mindfulness practice on inter and intra-personal abilities among Israeli Arab students (2024) · cites this paper as Mendelson et al., 2010
Mindfulness-based interventions among primary school students can improve students' relationships with peers and teachers and enhance pro-social behaviour.
“Additionally, mindfulness-based interventions among primary school students can support positive inter-personal effects, such as improving students' relationships with peers and teachers (Mendelson et al., 2010) and enhancing pro-social behaviour (Felver et al., 2017).”
From The influence of teacher-guided mindfulness practice on inter and intra-personal abilities among Israeli Arab students (2024) · cites this paper as Mendelson et al., 2010
School-based MBIs have shown decreases in rumination, intrusive thoughts, and emotional arousal.
“decreases in rumination, intrusive thoughts, and emotional arousal (mindfulness with yoga, Mendelson et al., 2010).”
From Safe schools for teens: Preventing sexual abuse of urban poor teens, proof-of-concept study-improving teachers'and students'knowledge, skills and attitudes (2020) · cites this paper as Mendelson et al., 2010
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References 62 · Cited by 538
- Authors
- Mendelson, T., Greenberg, M. T., Dariotis, J. K., Gould, L. F., Rhoades, B. L., & Leaf, P. J.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- Academy for Educational Development (US)
- Corresponding author
- Mendelson, Tamar
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Published
- 2010-05-04
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 985-994
- ISSN
- 0091-0627 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2835
- OpenAlex
- W2143867719
- Cited by
- 538
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 40 · 2020: 56 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 63 · 2016: 49 · 2015: 38 · 2014: 29 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 20.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Johns Hopkins University
- Mind and Life Institute
- One Mind
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Social Sciences › Education › Early Childhood Education and Development
- Keywords
- mindfulness-based interventions, yoga, school-based intervention, urban youth, childhood stress, social-emotional adjustment, depressive symptoms, peer relationships, rumination, intrusive thoughts, emotional arousal, self-regulation, feasibility and acceptability, underserved populations, elementary school students
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Arousal, Attention, Awareness, Behavior Therapy, Child, Child Behavior Disorders, Depressive Disorder, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Internal-External Control, Interpersonal Relations, Learning Disabilities, Male, Minority Groups, Peer Group, Pilot Projects, Poverty Areas, School Health Services, Social Adjustment, Stress, Psychological, Urban Population, Yoga, Baltimore
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