title: Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The authors hypothesized that a social and emotional learning (SEL) program involving mindfulness and caring for others, designed for elementary school students, would enhance cognitive control, reduce stress, promote well-being and prosociality, and produce positive school outcomes. To test this hypothesis, 4 classes of combined 4th and 5th graders (N = 99) were randomly assigned to receive the SEL with mindfulness program versus a regular social responsibility program. Measures assessed executive functions (EFs), stress physiology via salivary cortisol, well-being (self-reports), prosociality and peer acceptance (peer reports), and math grades. Relative to children in the social responsibility program, children who received the SEL program with mindfulness (a) improved more in their cognitive control and stress physiology; (b) reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept, and mindfulness, (c) showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, (d) were rated by peers as more prosocial, and (e) increased in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity). The results of this investigation suggest the promise of this SEL intervention and address a lacuna in the scientific literature-identifying strategies not only to ameliorate children's problems but also to cultivate their well-being and thriving. Directions for future research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Schonert-Reichl
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oberle
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Molly Stewart
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lawlor
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Human Early Learning Partnership, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Tim F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Oberlander
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diamond
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000193:education*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012572:School Health Services; D057566:Self Report; D012922:Social Change; D012963:Sociometric Techniques
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone