About this session

Saturday, 10:20 AM - 11:50 AM

Refining Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Maximize Effectiveness for Adolescents

Mindfulness (i.e., present-centered, nonjudgmental attention) is a protective factor associated with reduced mental health concerns in adolescents. Importantly, from a prevention and intervention standpoint, mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) has been shown to reduce mental health symptoms and improve indicators of physical health/wellness in adolescents However, findings related to key outcomes have been inconsistent, which suggests there is room for continued refinement of these interventions. This symposium brings together four papers that grapple with how to enhance MBI in ways that are theoretically-informed, developmentally appropriate, and practically feasible. They approach this topic in unique but complementary ways. Paper 1, a meta-analysis, grounds the conversation in a quantitative synthesis of existing evidence for the effects of both untrained mindfulness and MBI on stress in adolescents, with moderator analyses that highlight differential effectiveness based on intervention characteristics. Paper 2 clarifies our understanding of the temporal relationships between mindfulness and emotion regulation in adolescents exposed to chronic stressors, and explores how that relationship may change as a function of mental health symptoms. Leveraging qualitative research to explore individual experience and contextual factors, Paper 3 examines barriers and facilitators to adolescent engagement in MBI. Finally, Paper 4 investigates the feasibility and acceptability of delivering a group MBI augmented with an integrated mobile app to adolescents with conduct problems. In dialogue with one another, these four papers highlight key gaps in our understanding of MBI, the value of mixed methods research, and opportunities for optimizing MBI to support adolescent thriving.

Paper #1
Title	Mindfulness Stress Buffering in Adolescence: A Meta-analysis and Theoretical Integration of Existing Research
Presenting author	Jill T. Krause, Colorado State University, United States

Paper #2
Title	Associations of Momentary Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation and Moderating Effects of Mental Health among Adolescents
Presenting author	Reagan L. Miller, Colorado State University, United States

Paper #3
Title	Barriers and Facilitators to Adolescent Engagement in a Mindfulness-based Intervention
Presenting author	Megan Moran, Colorado State University, United States

Paper #4
Title	A Mindfulness-Based Intervention integrating In-Person and Mobile App Programming for Adolescents with Conduct Problems
Presenting author	Timothy F. Piehler, University of Minnesota, United States

View all paper details

Session chairs
Megan Moran, Colorado State University, United States; Rachel Lucas-Thompson, Ph.D., , United States

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