Two-year Follow-up of a Mindfulness-based Intervention in Children.

A Mindfulness-based Intervention Improves Resilience, Anxiety, Anger and Disruptive Behaviour in Children With Mental Health Problems: A 2-year Follow-up Study

The primary aim of this study was to determine whether an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention, called Training for Mindfulness and Resilience (TMR), mitigates moderate mental health symptoms and increases resilience during a 2-year follow-up.

Methods

The participants were 34 schoolchildren in age range of 9-14 years, reporting moderate mental health problems. Participants were randomised into either TMR intervention group (N=22) or control group, receiving best current practice (N=12). The investigators used validated self-rating questionnaires to measure anxiety, depression, anger, disruptive behaviour, self-concept, resilience, stress and mindfulness before treatment with either TMR or control, as well as at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after treatment period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• F32.0 Mild depressive episode
• F32.1 Moderate depressive episode
• F41 Anxiety disorders
• F43 Reactions to stress
• F51 Nonorganic sleep disorders
• F93 Emotional disorders with onset specific to childhood
• F94.8 Other childhood disorders of social functioning
• F94.9 Other childhood disorder of social functioning, unspecified

Exclusion Criteria:

• Ongoing treatment for severe psychiatric disorders (F20-29, F31-F33.3)
• Cognitive disorders
• Difficulties in understanding Swedish
• Neuropsychiatric considerations and diagnosis
• Learning disabilities with difficulties in verbal understanding
• Ongoing parental conflict in conjunction with separation/divorce.
• Attending less than 5 of the 8 sessions of the TMR program.