The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Children’s Attention Regulation

Joshua C. Felver, Jessica M. Tipsord, Maxwell J. Morris, Kristina Hiatt Racer, Thomas J. Dishion

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: This article describes results from a randomized clinical trial of a mindfulness-based intervention for parents and children, Mindful Family Stress Reduction, on a behavioral measure of attention in youths, the Attention Network Task (ANT). Method: Forty-one parent–child dyads were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness-based intervention condition or a wait-list control. School-age youths completed the ANT before and after the intervention. Results: Results demonstrate significant, medium-size (f2 = −.16) intervention effects to the conflict monitoring subsystem of the ANT such that those in the intervention condition decreased in conflict monitoring more than those in the wait-list control. Youths in the intervention condition also showed improvements in their orienting subsystem scores, compared with controls. Conclusion: Mindfulness-based interventions for youths have potential utility to improve attentional self-regulation, and future research should consider incorporating measures of attention into interventions that use mindfulness training.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)872-881
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Attention Disorders
Volume21
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2017
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Attention Network Test
  • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
  • children
  • family
  • mindfulness
  • randomized controlled trial

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

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