Neurocognitive study of mindfulness with primary school pupils V.1.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mindfulness in Primary schools: Assessment of attention and emotion regulation related changes in pupils
IRAS ID
167691
Contact name
Rebekah Kaunhoven
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bangor University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
How does mindfulness impact upon attention and emotion regulation in primary school pupils?
Mindfulness based courses for children have previously been successfully delivered in school classrooms (Zenner, Herrnleben, Kurtz & Walach, 2014) and the beneficial outcomes include improvements in concentration and wellbeing along with reductions in anxiety and aggressive behaviours (Burke, 2009; Harnett & Dawe, 2012). Children with ineffective attention and emotion regulation skills are at increased risk of academic and mental health problems (Althoff, Verhulst Rettew, Hudziak & van der Ede, 2010; Blair, Zelazo & Greenberg 2007; Graziano et al., 2007). Mindfulness could promote wellbeing in children through the development of adaptive coping skills. This study aims to provide an insight into how mindfulness impacts upon attention and emotion regulation processes in children from key stage 2 (7-11 years). This longitudinal non-randomised study will involve the implementation of a mindfulness curriculum developed for children called paws.b, into four primary schools in North Wales. Two training schools will receive the mindfulness curriculum in February 2015 and two wait list control schools will receive the curriculum after completion of the study. This curriculum will be delivered over twelve weeks by school teachers in their classrooms with support from a mindfulness trainer. Along with questionnaire measures of attention and emotion regulation, the changes in brain and body arising from mindfulness training will be assessed using a brain wave measure called event related potentials and a heart rate measure called respiratory sinus arrhythmia. These measures will be taken at three time points; pre-training, post-training and at a three to six month follow up. This project is part of a PhD funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Centre of Mindfulness Research and Practice, Bangor (CMRP).REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
14/WA/1249
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion