The impact of mindfulness training in early adolescence on affective executive control, and on later mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomised controlled trial
Dunning D, Ahmed SP, Foulkes L, Griffin C, Griffiths K, Leung JT, Parker J, Piera Pi-Sunyer B, Sakhardande A, Bennett M, Haag C, Montero-Marin J, Packman D, Vainre M, Watson P, Ukoumunne OC, Kuyken W, Williams JMG, Kappelmann N, Dalgleish T, Blakemore SJ · 2022
grade Brctdeveloper-involvednot-applicable
Sample
460 students aged 11-16 randomised 1:1 (235 mindfulness, 225 psychoeducation)
Population
United Kingdom; adolescents in after-school classes.
Design
The direct mechanism test, and the reason it belongs in an executive-function topic. ACTIVE control of matched dose (psychoeducation), registered on the Open Science Framework, powered to detect 0.3 SD at 80%, intention-to-treat with multiple imputation, fidelity above 94% in both arms. Outcomes include experimental affective-control tasks as well as questionnaires.
Key findings
Nothing moved. Mindfulness (CAMM) -0.1 (-1.7 to 1.4, p = .86); BRIEF-2 executive-function global composite -2.5 (-6.9 to 1.9, p = .27); emotion regulation 1.0 (-3.8 to 5.7, p = .69); affective sustained-attention commission errors -0.3 (-1.4 to 0.7, p = .52); affective Stroop -20.2 ms (-41.7 to 1.4, p = .07); affective working-memory capacity 0.02 (-0.1 to 0.1, p = .61). Mental health at post-intervention and at an unplanned mid-pandemic follow-up was null throughout. The authors conclude there is no evidence that mindfulness training improves affective control or downstream mental health.
Genetic confound
Low. Individual randomisation with an active control.
Replication notes
Not applicable - this is the mechanism test that accompanies the MYRIAD effectiveness trial. Its value is that it rules out the proposed pathway, not merely the outcome.
DOI / URL
10.1136/ebmental-2022-300460
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive-function questionnaire (BRIEF-2 global composite) | adjusted mean difference | -2.5 (95% CI -6.9 to 1.9), p = .27 | researcher-designed | post-intervention | active-alternative | end-of-treatment | near-transfer |
| Affective Stroop (experimental task) | adjusted mean difference | -20.2 ms (95% CI -41.7 to 1.4), p = .07 | standardized | post-intervention | active-alternative | end-of-treatment | near-transfer |
| Affective working-memory capacity | adjusted mean difference | 0.02 (95% CI -0.1 to 0.1), p = .61 | standardized | post-intervention | active-alternative | end-of-treatment | near-transfer |
| Mindfulness skills (the manipulation check) | adjusted mean difference | -0.1 (95% CI -1.7 to 1.4), p = .86 — the training did not raise its own target | researcher-designed | post-intervention | active-alternative | end-of-treatment | non-cognitive |
Cited by
- Can executive function be trained, and does it transfer to learning?no effectconf: highgc: low