The Effects of Neuroscience-Based Mindfulness Training on Adolescents

Abstract

This preliminary study aims to address situations such as high anxiety, stress, inability to focus, and physical burnout experienced by students in the exams made during the transition to a higher education process in the educational system. It also aims to contribute to the development of students’ academic and social-emotional skills, in other words emotional literacy through mindfulness training. For this reason, the effects of neuroscience-based mindfulness training on pupils in the eleventh grade’s levels of stress, anxiety, and positive and negative emotions were explored. Seven voluntarily recruited high school juniors in the 11th grade made up the study’s sample. The study was conducted over the course of 4 weeks and 6 sessions with the children after school. Data gathering tools are congruent with mixed method research design. Data collection instruments of Positive and Negative Emotion Scale (PANAS), Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale adapted for high school students (DASS-42) and Mindfulness Scale for Adolescents were employed as pre and posttest measurements. The study also conducted pre- and post-interview forms to gather opinions from the students regarding the study. The results of the study revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of being non-judgmental subscale of the Adolescent Mindfulness Scale (p=.023 .05) and the positive emotion subscale of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (p=.018 .05). However, there was no significant difference found in terms of stress and anxiety scores, as measured by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42). During the interviews with the students, it was reported that they were able to identify their emotions and had started to effectively manage stress. This finding supports the results regarding emotional regulation. Based on these findings, it is suggested that implementing mindfulness activities and integrating them into existing school programs could be beneficial. Such programs would assist students in managing their stress, regulating their emotions, and ultimately contribute to their overall learning experience, which is supposed to contribute to their academic and emotional literacy.