Healthy learning mind - Effectiveness of a mindfulness program on mental health compared to a relaxation program and teaching as usual in schools: A cluster-randomised controlled trial.


Author: Volanen SM1, Lassander M2, Hankonen N3, Santalahti P4, Hintsanen M5, Simonsen N6, Raevuori A7, Mullola S8, Vahlberg T9, But A10, Suominen S11

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland; Clinicum, Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: salla-maarit.volanen@helsinki.fi.

<sup>2</sup>Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki Finland.

<sup>3</sup>Social Psychology Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.

<sup>4</sup>National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland.

<sup>5</sup>Unit of Psychology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

<sup>6</sup>Folkhälsan Research Center, Topeliuksenkatu 20, FI-00250 Helsinki, Finland; Clinicum, Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.

<sup>7</sup>Clinicum, Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland; Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.

<sup>8</sup>Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki Finland; Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, Finland.

<sup>9</sup>Department of Biostatistics, University of Turku, Finland.

<sup>10</sup>Clinicum, Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.

<sup>11</sup>Department of Public Health, University of Skövde, Sweden; Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Finland.
Conference/Journal: J Affect Disord.
Date published: 2019 Aug 28
Other:
 Volume ID: 260   ,  Pages: 660-669   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.087. [Epub ahead of print]   ,  Word Count: 259  
    BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have shown promising effects on mental health among children and adolescents, but high-quality studies examining the topic are lacking. The present study assessed the effects of MBI on mental health in school-setting in an extensive randomised controlled trial.



METHODS: Finnish school children and adolescents (N = 3519), aged 12-15 years (6th to 8th graders), from 56 schools were randomized into a 9 week MBI group, and control groups with a relaxation program or teaching as usual. The primary outcomes were resilience, socio-emotional functioning, and depressive symptoms at baseline, at completion of the programs at 9 weeks (T9), and at follow-up at 26 weeks (T26).



RESULTS: Overall, mindfulness did not show more beneficial effects on the primary outcomes compared to the controls except for resilience for which a positive intervention effect was found at T9 in all participants (β=1.18, SE 0.57, p = 0.04) as compared to the relaxation group. In addition, in gender and grade related analyses, MBI lowered depressive symptoms in girls at T26 (β=-0.49, SE 0.21, p = 0.02) and improved socio-emotional functioning at T9 (β=-1.37, SE 0.69, p = 0.049) and at T26 (β=-1.71, SE 0.73, p = 0.02) among 7th graders as compared to relaxation.



LIMITATIONS: The inactive control group was smaller than the intervention and active control groups, reducing statistical power.



CONCLUSIONS: A short 9-week MBI in school-setting provides slight benefits over a relaxation program and teaching as usual. Future research should investigate whether embedding regular mindfulness-based practice in curriculums could intensify the effects.



Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.



KEYWORDS: Mental health promotion; Mindfulness; Randomized controlled trial; School-based intervention



PMID: 31546105  DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.08.087