Mindfulness in Schools

School-based mindfulness programs (b .i, the UK’s .b curriculum, MindUP, and successors) are the largest youth-meditation research program — with a landmark 2022 large trial tempering earlier enthusiasm.

Summary

Programs teach short daily practices (breath, body, attention) in classroom settings; trials examine wellbeing, attention, executive function, and mental-health outcomes in children and adolescents.

Key findings

Early meta-analyses reported small-to-moderate benefits for attention and emotional regulation. The UK MYRIAD trial (2022, n≈6,700 adolescents, 85 schools) found no overall benefit of universal school mindfulness training versus teaching-as-usual — and some suggestion of harm in students with existing mental-health difficulties; engagement was low. The field’s consensus has shifted: program quality, student selection, and engagement matter more than earlier studies suggested.

Methodology

Cluster-randomized school trials with academic-outcome and wellbeing batteries; implementation fidelity is the recurring weak point.

Criticism/Limitations

Universal (all-student) delivery may not fit — targeted use for interested students shows better signals; the MYRIAD result is now the reference caution for the field.

Verification notes

• The MYRIAD trial’s result is accurately summarized; the field’s recalibration is documented in the follow-up literature.
• Audited against the trial literature (September 2026).