A Randomized Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapyfor Children: Promoting Mindful Attention to EnhanceSocial-Emotional Resiliency in Children

摘要

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for chil-dren (MBCT-C) is a manualized group psychotherapy forchildren ages 9-13 years old, which was developed spe-cifically to increase social-emotional resiliency through theenhancement of mindful attention. Program development isdescribed along with results of the initial randomizedcontrolled trial. We tested the hypotheses that childrenrandomized to participate in MBCT-C would show greaterreductions in (a) attention problems, (b) anxiety symptoms,and (c) behavior problems than wait-listed age and gender-matched controls. Participants were boys and girls aged9-13 (N = 25), mostly from low-income, inner-city house-holds. Twenty-one of 25 children were ethnic minorities. Arandomized cross-lagged design provided a wait-listedcontrol group, a second trial of MBCT-C, and a 3-monthfollow-up of children who completed the first trial. Mea-sures included the Child Behavior Checklist, State-TraitAnxiety Inventory for Children, and MultidimensionalAnxiety Scale for Children. Participants who completed theprogram showed fewer attention problems than wait-listedcontrols and those improvements were maintained at threemonths following the intervention [F (1, 1, 18) = 5.965,p = .025, Cohen's d = .42]. A strong relationship wasfound between attention problems and behavior problems(r = .678, p < .01). Reductions in attention problemsaccounted for 46% of the variance of changes in behaviorproblems, although attention changes proved to be a non-significant mediator of behavior problems (p = .053).Significant reductions in anxiety symptoms and behaviorproblems were found for those children who reportedclinically elevated levels of anxiety at pretest (n = 6).Results show that MBCT-C is a promising intervention forattention and behavior problems, and may reduce child-hood anxiety symptoms.