Abstract
Background: Mind-body interventions may support the development of adolescents’ self-regulation and provide a protective effect against maladaptive outcomes, e.g., internalizing and externalizing problems. The present study aimed at evaluating the effects of mindfulness-oriented meditation training (MOM) and autogenic training (AT) on a group of healthy Italian adolescents’ character dimensions, emotional and behavioral difficulties. Methods: 72 adolescents were randomly assigned to MOM/AT conditions and tested before and after the 8-week trainings through self-report measures (Temperament and Character Inventory 125, TCI; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Adolescents, SDQ-A). Main analyses involved robust and repeated measures ANOVAs, carried out separately for character TCI and SDQ-A scales. Results: After trainings, we found increased levels of cooperativeness and reduced emotional symptoms. Changes in these dimensions were negatively correlated: the more participants increased in their cooperativeness the greater decrease they showed in emotional symptoms. Conclusion: Both MOM and AT enhanced a cooperative attitude in adolescents and helped reducing their emotional problems. Therefore, it may be useful to apply these mind-body interventions in school settings as they can have a protective effect on the well-being and psychosocial adjustment of youths, through fostering their character maturity and helping them to better regulate their emotions.
Highlights
Adolescence is a period of development and change for youths across multiple domains [1]
There are calls for further investigation on how to reduce the maladaptive aspects of stress experienced in adolescence which are often related to long-term problems, as well as the risk of developing psychological difficulties in adult life; for example, anxiety, depression and eating disorders typically emerge in mid-late adolescence and tend to become chronic [5,6]
The change in cooperativeness was negatively correlated with reduction in emotional problems: the more participants increased in their cooperativeness the more they showed a decrease in emotional symptoms after training
Summary
Adolescence is a period of development and change for youths across multiple domains [1]. There are calls for further investigation on how to reduce the maladaptive aspects of stress experienced in adolescence which are often related to long-term problems, as well as the risk of developing psychological difficulties in adult life; for example, anxiety, depression and eating disorders typically emerge in mid-late adolescence and tend to become chronic [5,6] The impact of such determinants can be mitigated by protective factors, such as good adaptive coping and emotion regulation strategies, prosocial behavior and social connectedness, as well as support from schools and mental health services [7,8,9]. It may be useful to apply these mind-body interventions in school settings as they can have a protective effect on the well-being and psychosocial adjustment of youths, through fostering their character maturity and helping them to better regulate their emotions
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