Clinical Application of Mindfulness-Oriented Meditation: A Preliminary Study in Children with ADHD

Ornella Santonastaso, Vittoria Zaccari, Cristiano Crescentini, Franco Fabbro, Viviana Capurso, Stefano Vicari and Deny Menghini
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Ornella Santonastaso: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Science, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Vittoria Zaccari: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Science, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Cristiano Crescentini: Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Franco Fabbro: Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Viviana Capurso: Department of Languages and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Stefano Vicari: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Science, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Deny Menghini: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Science, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: Mindfulness-oriented meditation (MOM) is a self-regulatory training used for attentional and behavioral problems. With its focus on attention, MOM is a promising form of training that is gaining empirical support as a complementary or alternative intervention for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study, we tested the preliminary efficacy of MOM training in children with ADHD, by comparing its efficacy with an active control condition (Emotion Education Program, EEP). Twenty-five children with ADHD aged 7–11 years participated in MOM training ( n = 15) or EEP ( n = 10) 3 times per week for 8 weeks. Neuropsychological and academic measures and behavioral, emotional, and mindfulness ratings were collected before and after the two programs. On average, MOM training had positive effects on neuropsychological measures, as evidenced by a significant mean improvement in all outcome measures after training. Moreover, positive effects on ADHD symptoms were found only in the MOM group. Although they are preliminary, our results documented that MOM training promotes changes in neuropsychological measures and in certain behavioral symptoms, suggesting it as a promising tool for ameliorating cognitive and clinical manifestations of ADHD.

Keywords: mindfulness meditation; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; neurodevelopmental disorders; neuropsychological measures (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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