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Does a mindfulness-based intervention strengthen mindfulness stress buffering effects in adolescence? A preliminary investigation

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Abstract

Past research on benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) has focused on differences in levels of trait mindfulness and/or mental health; we provided a preliminary test of the hypothesis that, for adolescents, an MBI enhances the function of mindfulness as a stress buffer. For mindfulness to buffer stress, levels of mindfulness need to stay consistently high during stressors. Twenty adolescents (12-18yrs) participated in an MBI and completed daily diaries across six weeks of the program on interparental conflict, mindful attention, self-compassion, depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Multilevel and heterogeneous mixed-effects location-scale models as well as multilevel mediation and moderation indicated that, within person, the effects of the stressor (interparental conflict) on mindfulness varied between the first half (before receiving instruction about remaining mindful during stress) and the second half of the MBI (after receiving such instruction): greater interparental conflict was associated with lower levels and consistency of mindfulness in the first half, but was not associated with levels or consistency of mindfulness in the second half. Also, within person, mindfulness appeared to mediate rather than buffer effects of conflict on daily mental health in the first half of the program, but in the second half, mindfulness was a significant buffer of the link between conflict and mental health. Results provided preliminary support that an MBI may change the function of mindfulness as a stress buffer for adolescents, allowing them to be able to remain consistently mindful under stress and therefore experience the stress-buffering effects of mindfulness.

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Funding

Funding for this project was provided by Award Number K01AT009592 from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (PI, Lucas-Thompson). This publication was supported by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSA Grant Number UL1 TR002535. The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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  1. Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University, 1570 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1570, USA

    Rachel G. Lucas-Thompson, Melanie S. Adams, Reagan L. Miller, Megan J. Moran, Stephanie R. Rayburn & Natasha S. Seiter

  2. Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, 1876 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1876, USA

    Mark A. Prince

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  1. Rachel G. Lucas-Thompson
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Contributions

Funding was acquired by author RLT. Authors RLT, SR, and NS contributed to study conception and design. Data analysis was conducted by RLT and MP. All authors contributed to manuscript framing, writing, and editing, and all authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Rachel G. Lucas-Thompson.

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All procedures were reviewed and approved by the Colorado State University Institutional Review Board, and all parents and participants provided informed consent and assent, respectively.

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Lucas-Thompson, R.G., Prince, M.A., S. Adams, M. et al. Does a mindfulness-based intervention strengthen mindfulness stress buffering effects in adolescence? A preliminary investigation. Curr Psychol 43, 3440–3454 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04520-5

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