“Safe in My Own Mind:” Supporting Healthy Adolescent Development Through Meditation Retreats

• Published in: Journal of applied developmental psychology Vol. 53; pp. 96 - 107
• Main Author: Galla, Brian M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Norwood Elsevier Inc 01.11.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescence; Adolescents; Between-subjects design; Child development; Cognitive functioning; Developmental psychology; Effectiveness studies; Emotional development; Emotional intelligence; Emotional regulation; Emotional well being; Gratitude; Mediation; Meditation; Mental depression; Mindfulness; Positive emotions; Quasi-experimental methods; Questionnaires; Retreats; Self compassion; Self control; Self regulation; Self report; Short term memory; Social development; Sympathy; Teenagers; Working parents; Adolescence; Meditation; Self-compassion; Mindfulness
• ISSN: 0193-3973; 1873-7900
• DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2017.09.006

The current field study used a quasi-experimental, between-groups design to test the effectiveness of a weeklong intensive, residential meditation retreat for adolescents. Before and after the retreat, teens (N=79, Mage=17.02years) completed a battery of self-report measures assessing emotional functioning and self-regulation, and a performance measure of working memory. In parallel, parents completed questionnaires about their child's emotional functioning and self-regulation. Compared to a control condition, adolescents who participated in the retreat showed changes in emotional functioning (depressive symptoms, gratitude, positive affect), self-regulation (self-control), and working memory. The average effect size estimate across all outcomes was small-to-moderate, Cohen's d=0.38 (range=0.00 to 0.88). Improvements in self-compassion mediated the associations between meditation training and enhanced emotional functioning. The current field study suggests that residential meditation retreats can support psychological and cognitive functioning during adolescence, a critical period of social-emotional development. •The effect of a weeklong, intensive meditation retreat with adolescents was tested.•Improvement in emotional functioning, self-regulation, and working memory was found.•Gains in self-compassion mediated effects of retreat on emotional functioning