Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Document Type

Chapman access only poster or presentation

Publication Date

Spring 5-9-2018

Faculty Advisor(s)

Dr. Steven L. Schandler

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Mindfulness is the process of increasing self-awareness through paying attention to actions of the present moment, and without any judgment to the experiences that are currently unfolding. Because it is focused on the individual’s use of their own resources, mindfulness is gaining increased prominence as a complementary and alternative intervention method by Western Psychology. While research on the therapeutic effectiveness of mindfulness initially focused exclusively on adults, recent mindfulness research has begun to be directed at the effects of structured mindfulness programs on children and adolescents. This research suggests a relationship between the use of mindfulness and a child’s increased ability to regulate emotions critical to responding appropriately to a wide range of emotions. However further research needs to be conducted in order to support concrete conclusions. The purpose of this thesis research was to examine the effectiveness on emotional regulation in children and adolescents. To do this systematically, research was directed at primary and secondary school-based mindful programs designed to enhance student’s emotional regulation. It was hypothesized that students enrolled in a school-based mindful program would show greater emotional regulation than students who were just following the regular school curriculum or enrolled in another program. Methods: Using meta-analytical methods, recent empirical studies on school-based mindfulness were gathered and evaluated. All articles looked at various forms of school-based mindfulness and its effects on multiple factors related to emotional regulation across preschool students all the way to high school students. Conclusion: Overall, the findings supported the hypothesis. However, the strength of the support was reduced by variations in the types of mindful programs and the multiple assessments applied to measure emotional regulation. Further studies are needed to more clearly identify the elements of mindfulness that are the most beneficial to children and adolescents.

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