Positive Health Online

Abstract

MÖLLER And ASCHERSLEBEN,1 Universität des Saarlandes Campus A1.3 66123 Saarbrücken Deutschland Universität des Saarlandes designed and investigated  a one-week Mindfulness Program on Memory Performance in School-Aged Children.

Background

A one-week mindfulness-based intervention designed to improve 8- to 10-year-old children's memory performance was investigated.

Methodology

Seventy-three children were quasi-randomly assigned either to one of two mindfulness-based intervention groups (breathing meditation or yoga), or to an active control group. The sessions were held on six consecutive days. Prior to intervention and after completing the intervention, children's short-term and long-term memory performance were assessed.

Results

In confirmation of prior studies, breathing meditation and yoga showed positive effects on memory performance when compared with the control group. Moreover, differences in the effectiveness of breathing meditation and yoga were found: While both interventions had comparable effects on long-term memory, only breathing meditation showed improvements in short-term memory performance.

Conclusion

The present study provides valuable evidence on the effectiveness of meditation on cognitive functions in childhood and shows that school-aged children can already benefit from short-term meditation programs.

References

Corina Möller  1 , Gisa Aschersleben  1. [The Effect of a Short-Term Mindfulness Program on Memory Performance in School-Aged Children]. Prax Kinderpsychol Kinderpsychiatr; 69(4):305-320. doi: 10.13109/prkk.2020.69.4.305. Jul 2020 . [Article in German]