Given that mindfulness is thought to improve concentration and emotional reactivity – the way we deal with stressful and unpleasant situations – it doesn’t come as a surprise that mindfulness-based interventions are being advocated for educational settings. A central idea here is that prevention is better than treatment: if children, adolescents and young adults can develop skills that allow them to deal more effectively with negative life events, the likelihood for them to experience psychological wellbeing will increase while incidences of major psychological problems such as anxiety or depression may decrease. In addition, improved emotional skills and concentration may have a positive impact on academic achievements.
Here is how Dr Amy Saltzman (Still Quiet Place) advocated offering mindfulness to our youngsters:
“Let’s do what we can now to immunize our youth against the stresses of modern life and the related diagnoses. Let’s provide them with mindfulness skills proven to be of benefit throughout their lives. There is absolutely no reason they should wait until they are forty-five, and have lost a job, had a heart attack, or are in the midst of a divorce to learn practices that will support and sustain them.”
It may sound a bit dramatic – but is there some truth in it? Well – MeditationResearch is at your side to analyse the real evidence, and keep you abreast of what science confirms.
