The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Children’s Executive Functions: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for children are gaining interest. The evidence base, however, is not clear regarding the benefits. While some authors have challenged whether there are substantial benefits to children and adolescents (e.g., Dunning et al., 2022b), Takacs and Kassai (2019) found MBIs the most promising intervention avenue to foster children’s executive function (EF) skills – although based on a handful of studies that were available up to 2016. Hence, the present meta-analysis is an update regarding the efficacy of MBIs for EF skills in children (up to 12 years of age). A comprehensive search was conducted in five electronic databases, including unpublished dissertations and theses, which resulted in 22 studies that met the inclusion criteria to be included in analyses regarding post-test differences of which 20 provided data to be included in the analysis regarding pre-test to post-test change. The results showed a significant, small positive effect on children’s EF skills overall \(\:\left(k=20,\:{g}^{+}=0.25,\:SE=0.09,\:95\%\:CI\:\left[0.08,\:0.42\right],\:p=0.004\right).\) However, a significant effect was found only for inhibitory control. A similar effect appeared on cognitive flexibility but only when change from pre- to post- test change was considered, while no effect was found on working memory. In conclusion, while MBIs seem to benefit children’s inhibitory control skills and potentially cognitive flexibility to only a small extent and not other aspects of executive function skills. Most importantly, the effect disappeared when MBIs were compared to active control conditions. The results question the practical benefits of applying MBIs in schools.