WHAT IS MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION FOR CHILDREN?
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction teaches children how to self-regulate their behavior through guided instruction. Each session includes mindfulness of the breath, mindfulness of the body (body scan), and mindfulness of movement (calming yoga postures). Children learn to identify thoughts and emotions and relate them to experiences. These simple mindfulness practices help children deal with anxiety, improve concentration, and handle difficult emotions.
IS IT SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH?
- A study at Standford University confirmed that 8-weeks of mindfulness training in fourth through sixth graders led to significant decreases in anxiety and improvements in attention. The children in this study were less emotionally reactive and better able to handle daily stress (Saltzman, 2010)
- A study with adolescents under psychiatric outpatient care showed significant improvements in stress, anxiety, and several psychopathological symptoms. The study also found that more time spent in sitting meditation predicted improved functioning and a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms (Burke, 2009).
Sign up for a 8-week mindfulness based stress reduction course at 913-660-8219.
References
Burke, C.A. (2009) Mindfulness-Based Approaches with Children and Adolescents: A Preliminary Review of Current Research in an Emergent Field. J Child Fam Stud. pmid:20339571 doi: 10.1007/s10826-009-9282-x
Saltzman, A. (2010). Mindfulness: A teacher’s guide. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/theBuddha/teacher’s/guide/
