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, previous research 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. This meta-analysis updates the evidence on the efficacy of MBIs for EF skills in children (up to 12 years of age). A comprehensive search of five electronic databases, including unpublished dissertations and theses, identified 22 studies that met the inclusion criteria for post-test analyses, of which 20 provided data for pre-test to post-test change analyses. MBIs showed a significant, small positive effect on children’s EF skills overall (k = 20, g+ = 0.25, SE = 0.09, 95

Brief mindfulness inductions are expected to enhance executive functioning and reduce mind-wandering, but empirical findings are mixed. The present study examined the effects of a 10-min mindfulness induction on executive functions and mind-wandering, and explored whether these effects were moderated by individual differences. Hypothesized moderators included trait mindfulness, prior meditation experience, and Big-Five personality traits; exploratory moderators included trait anxiety, trait mind-wandering, mindfulness mindset, and baseline mood state. Participants were randomly assigned to a 10-min brief mindfulness or audiobook-listening control condition. Executive functions were assessed using cognitive tasks, and mind-wandering was measured with a probe-caught reading task. The mindfulness induction successfully induced state mindfulness but did not improve executive functioning or reduce mind-wandering overall. After correction for multiple comparisons, none of the hypothesized moderators were significant. The exploratory analysis showed that baseline negative mood state moderated the effect of mindfulness on inhibitory control. These findings suggest that the immediate cognitive effect after a brief mindfulness induction is very limited. Interestingly, high initial negative mood state might turn the effect of a short mindfulness exercise negative on inhibitory control.

PURPOSE:Attachment insecurity has been theorised to be associated with the development and maintenance of negative symptoms. Previous reviews examining the relationship between attachment insecurity and negative symptoms of psychosis have produced conflicting findings. Using meta-analytic techniques, the current study sought to systematically appraise the relationship between attachment insecurity dimensions, total negative symptoms and domains of negative symptoms. METHODS:A systematic review of literature published on electronic databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO) up to October 2025. RESULTS:Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria (n = 6507; mean age 27.76 years; 35.1% male) and comprised clinical samples (k = 14) and non-clinical samples (k = 9). Five studies achieved a low risk of bias score. A small, significant average association was found between negative symptoms and attachment anxiety in clinical and non-clinical samples. A small, significant average association was found between attachment avoidance and negative symptoms in clinical samples, while a moderate-sized, significant average association was found in non-clinical samples. Differing strengths of association were found between attachment dimensions and each of the negative symptom domains. CONCLUSION:Future research should use measures that adhere to the NIMH consensus definition and should also explore the impact of attachment insecurity on individual negative symptoms. PRISMA/PROSPERO:This review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidance. The review protocol was registered on Prospero on the 16 August 2022. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42022353927.

Leveraging the potential of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) environments for creativity enhancement, this randomized controlled experiment explores the impact of a novel IVR-based cognitive figural creativity training on creative thinking, engagement, and user experience among young adults. A total of 111 university students from a large Hungarian university were assigned to a 90-minute IVR-based creativity training intervention utilizing a 3D painting environment, a matched conventional paper-based intervention or a passive control condition. Results indicate significant improvements in figural creativity, particularly in its originality and abstract imaginative thinking dimensions for participants in the IVR condition compared to controls. Additionally, IVR intervention participants reported higher levels of interest, motivation and engagement with the training materials, higher flow in creative tasks, and less discomfort than those in the paper-based condition. IVR user experience was of high quality. These findings suggest that IVR technologies offer promising avenues for creativity enhancement, with implications for educational practices and future research into technology-mediated creativity enhancement. Limitations, future research directions, and the study's contributions to understanding the role of immersive technologies in creativity education are discussed.

This study explored the mediating roles of mindfulness facets in the relationship between adult attachment and positive emotions. Specifically, it examined the subjective experiences and regulation strategies associated with positive emotions. A total of 513 participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing dispositional mindfulness, adult attachment, discrete positive emotion, and regulation strategies related to positive emotions. The parallel multiple mediation analysis indicated that nonjudging repeatedly emerged as significant mediator in the relationship between attachment insecurity (anxiety and avoidance) and discrete positive emotions and the regulation strategies used. Describe facet only emerged as a significant mediator in the context of attachment avoidance and positive emotions and regulation strategies. The effects of attachment insecurity on positive emotions differed through various mindfulness facets. The current findings extend understanding of the mechanisms that may explain why individuals differ in the extent to which they engage in positive emotional experiences. This insight may inform the adaptation of mindfulness-based programs to better address individual differences.

There is a general conception that mental health problems are increasing in younger generations, though little objective comparisons exist. The current meta-analysis examined changes in subclinical mean-level emotional and behavioral problems among population-based samples of youth (1-18 years) globally over the last four decades. We searched systematically in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCO and Google Scholar with pre-registered criteria [removed for masked review]. Included studies ( k = 175, N = 418,528) used the standardized and cross-culturally validated Child Behavior Checklist with parents, teachers and self-reports. A cross-temporal meta-analysis was conducted with data points between 1981 to 2019. Age, sex, response rate, continent were used as moderators. Meta-regression analyses, with year of data collection as predictor, showed that total emotional and behavioral problems did not change in the past 40 years. However, there was evidence of change in specific problems. We find strong evidence for decreased aggression in children over time (parent report: k = 47, b year = -0.18, p = .009, 95%CI[-0.31,-0.05]; self-report: k = 9, b year = -0.41, p = .006, 95%CI[-0.66,-0.16]). There was evidence of a decrease in parent reported externalizing problems in middle childhood ( k = 60, b year = -0.21, p < .001, 95%CI[-0.30,-0.11]) and specifically in teenage boys ( k = 12, b year = -0.27, p = .049, 95%CI[-0.54,0]). In contrast, there were increases in parent-reported attention ( k = 63, b year= 0.24, p = .004, 95%CI[0.08,0.40]) and thought problems ( k = 40, b year= 0.09, p = .006, 95%CI[0.03,0.15]) for youth overall, and anxiety-depression symptoms specifically in teens ( k = 12, b year = 0.26, p = .011, 95%CI[0.07,0.45]), although with high heterogeneity. In sum, our results do not support concerns that children and young people today experience more emotional and behavioural problems than previous generations, rather, they experience subtly different patterns of difficulties. However, an important limitation of the study is that post COVID-19 changes were not studied.

BACKGROUND/AIMS:Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders among young people and significantly affects their quality of life. Previous research suggests an increased risk of suicidal behavior among individuals with ADHD; however, this has not yet been investigated in a meta-analysis of long-term studies. The primary aim of this study was to conduct an updated systematic review of longitudinal studies on ADHD and suicidality supplemented by meta-analytic calculations. METHODS:A systematic search was conducted across the following databases: OVID Medline, OVID PsychInfo, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Only longitudinal studies were included, in which most participants were under 18 years of age at baseline, had a clinical ADHD diagnosis, and provided sufficient data about suicidal behavior. RESULTS:In total, nine studies were included in both the meta-analysis and narrative review. The average odds ratios were significant and small to moderate in size for the following aspects: overall suicidality (OR = 3.336, 95% CI: 2.201; 5.057, p < 0.001), suicidal ideation (OR = 3.956, 95% CI: 1.996; 7.841, p < 0.001), suicide attempt (OR = 3.344, 95% CI: 1.682; 6.650, p = 0.001), and death (OR = 3.891, 95% CI: 2.103; 7.198, p < 0.001). The number of participants with ADHD ranged from 104 to 86,670, with a mean age between 5.2 and 14.94 years old, and the majority were male. Suicide behavior was more common in the ADHD combined subtype and the hyperactive/impulsive subtype. There are conflicting results regarding sex differences and the role of comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS:The current systematic review and meta-analysis confirms previous findings that individuals with ADHD are at an elevated risk for suicidal behavior. However, this relationship is heterogeneous and complex, with significant differences across ADHD subtypes, age groups, sexes, comorbidities, and social issues, all of which play important roles in the development of suicidal behavior.

BackgroundMindfulness practices enhance executive function skills and academic achievement, spurring interest in integrating mindfulness interventions into education. Embedding mindfulness practice into a digital math game may provide a low-cost, scalable way to induce mindfulness and boost game-based learning, yet this approach remains unexplored.ObjectivesWe investigated the learning benefits of integrating mindfulness exercises in a digital math learning game and examined how students' trait mindfulness might moderate the outcomes.MethodsTwo classroom studies were conducted with 404 5th and 6th grade students from six public schools in the U.S. (nStudy 1 = 227, nStudy 2 = 177). The two randomized controlled experiments assigned students to one of the three conditions: passive control (playing the digital learning game Decimal Point), story-enriched active control, or mindfulness-enriched condition. Trait mindfulness, learning gains, and in-game problem-solving (including problem-solving duration, error count and correctness after reminder) were assessed. Study 2 included a manipulation check to better understand the effects of the mindfulness intervention.ResultsFindings showed no significant differences in learning gains, problem-solving duration or error count among the conditions. Students' trait mindfulness did not moderate these outcomes. Mindfulness reminders in the mindfulness-enriched game led to more correct answers after errors than jokes in the story-enriched game. Study 2 revealed that we failed to induce higher state mindfulness through the mindfulness inductions.ConclusionsMindfulness prompts could be especially beneficial for students experiencing frustration during gameplay, warranting more exploration for digital game-based instruction. We highlight barriers and future directions for fostering mindfulness through computer-based instruction in classrooms. What is currently known about this topic? Researchers focus on digital games as productive learning environments for math, with potential for higher learning gains compared with traditional methods. However, results are mixed, and not all games lead to improved math outcomes. Executive function (EF) skills are crucial for math learning, and mindfulness-based interventions show promise in enhancing EF skills in school-aged students. Embedding mindfulness practice into a digital math game may provide a low-cost, scalable way to induce mindfulness and, in turn, boost EF skills and game-based learning, yet this approach remains unexploredWhat does this paper add? This paper presents the results of two randomized control trials investigating the feasibility and benefits of incorporating mindfulness exercises into a digital math game designed for middle school students. Benefits are compared to those of a story-enriched and regular version of the same digital math learning game. The paper also explores variations in the effects of the mindfulness-enriched game based on students' initial trait mindfulness levels. We observe that listening to mindfulness inductions at the beginning of game sessions do not induce mindfulness, and therefore does not benefit math learning. We find that mindfulness prompts received after recurrent errors can be beneficial for students' problem solving.Implications of study findings for practitioners Our study provides important information on how digital learning game designers should attempt to induce mindfulness in a digital game to promote learning. Digital learning game designers should consider incorporating mindfulness exercises into their games strategically. Presenting mindfulness inductions in audio format at the beginning of game sessions may not induce mindfulness or benefit math learning. Instead, designers should focus on integrating mindfulness prompts at moments when students encounter frustration within the learning game. Beyond embedding audio mindfulness exercises in the game, learning designers should also consider alternative technological and game features to induce mindfulness within a learning game.

Background: Children with CP show deficits in executive function compared to their typically developing peers, based on the majority of the available evidence. However, the magnitude of these deficits, as well as the proportions of the shortfalls in the three main components, have not yet been examined. This is the first meta-analysis to synthesize evidence on the magnitude of differences between patients with cerebral palsy (CP) and typically developing populations in different components of executive function skills (working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility), and thus makes recommendations on which areas of executive functioning are in greatest need of intervention. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search of four databases for studies that measured executive functions in these two groups until 31 August 2023. We calculated the standardized mean difference (Hedges’ g), an average effect size overall, and for the three components of executive function skills separately, we used several moderator analyses, including methodological differences between the primary studies. Results: Fifteen articles were included in the meta-analysis. The average mean difference in executive functioning overall was large (g+ = −0.82). Furthermore, large significant differences were found in working memory (g+ = −0.92) and inhibitory control (g+ = −0.82) and a moderate difference was identified in cognitive flexibility (g+ = −0.57). In addition, results of moderator analyses reveal the importance of a rigorous matching of control group participants and CP patients. Conclusions: The results demonstrate a severe impairment in all executive functions among CP patients compared to typically developing peers, which do not decrease over time.

This research introduces the "Mindfulness Mindset Scale," a concise and reliable tool designed to measure beliefs about the malleability of mindfulness skills. Study 1 (N = 285) revealed a single-factor structure through exploratory factor analysis, further validated in Study 2 (N = 286) using confirmatory factor analysis. Studies 3a (N = 266) and 3b (N = 320) revealed associations between the Mindfulness Mindset Scale and other measures of mindset, trait mindfulness, and coping, showing reasonable convergent and divergent validity. Study 4 (N = 470) showed the predictive validity of the mindfulness mindset, being correlated with behavioral persistence, effort, resilience, challenge-seeking, and academic grades. Study 5 (N = 320) supported the academic correlates of malleable beliefs of mindfulness beyond the mental health factors from Study 3 in two countries. In Study 6 (N-French = 613, N-Hungarian = 524), we demonstrated that a well-established learning mindset intervention can lead to changes in mindfulness mindset in two national contexts. Finally, a brief mindfulness mindset intervention designed for Study 7 (N = 208) also led to changes in malleability beliefs about mindfulness skills. These behavioral results suggest that beliefs about mindfulness being malleable are a novel construct distinct from trait mindfulness. Such beliefs are related to adaptive psychological mechanisms relevant in educational contexts, considering students' coping, mastery behavior, and academic performance. Importantly, these beliefs can be modified by brief interventions.

Negative feedback in academic settings is often unavoidable, although it may directly interfere with the ultimate goal of education, as setbacks can diminish motivation, and may even lead to dropping out of school. Previous research suggests that certain predispositions, inductions, and interventions might mitigate the harmful effects of negative feedback. Among others, growth mindset beliefs and mindfulness meditation were proposed as the most promising candidates that may help students to retain motivation. In a pre-registered, randomized experiment, we gave a disappointing evaluation to 383 university students in a bogus laboratory IQ test situation. Half of the participants previously received a growth mindset induction referring to intelligence as a malleable characteristic, while the other half received a fixed mindset induction referring to intelligence as a stable characteristic that cannot be changed. Then participants had a brief mindfulness meditation session or a control condition. Subsequently, they could choose to complete practice tasks before the final IQ assessment. The number of completed optional tasks was used as a behavioral proxy for task persistence. The results showed no difference in task persistence for the growth mindset or the mindfulness induction groups, compared to the other conditions. However, those who reported having higher pre-induction growth mindset beliefs or dispositional mindfulness completed more optional tasks after the mindset or mindfulness induction, respectively. We concluded that our brief inductions may not be adequate for everyone to rectify the demotivating effects of negative feedback, but can enhance task persistence for people with a stronger disposition towards a growth mindset or mindfulness.

This large, international dataset contains survey responses from N = 12,570 students from 100 universities in 35 countries, collected in 21 languages. We measured anxieties (statistics, mathematics, test, trait, social interaction, performance, creativity, intolerance of uncertainty, and fear of negative evaluation), self-efficacy, persistence, and the cognitive reflection test, and collected demographics, previous mathematics grades, self-reported and official statistics grades, and statistics module details. Data reuse potential is broad, including testing links between anxieties and statistics/mathematics education factors, and examining instruments’ psychometric properties across different languages and contexts. Data and metadata are stored on the Open Science Framework website (https://osf.io/mhg94/).

The present meta-analytic study examined the association between alexithymia and psychoactive substance use. Studies published from 1988 to August 20, 2022 were identified by a systematic search and 168 eligible studies were included in five meta-analyses. Results showed that (1) the correlation between substance use and alexithymia is small but significant (r = 0.177); (2) substance users have substantially higher alexithymia than nonusers (g = 0.545); (3) alexithymic participants have significantly but slightly higher levels of substance use than non-alexithymics (g = 0.242); (4) substance users are significantly but only slightly more likely to be alexithymic than nonusers (OR = 2.392); and (5) alexithymic individuals are not more likely to be substance users than non-alexithymics. Larger effects were observed among samples diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD), and the use of depressants, alcohol, opiates, and illicit stimulants had stronger relation to alexithymia. We found a tendency for a larger association with problematic use as compared to other indicators (e.g., frequency and duration) of substance use. Among the components of alexithymia, difficulties in identifying feelings has the strongest association with substance use. Our findings support clinical practice by suggesting the improvement of emotion regulation in SUD.

In the past 10 years, there has been a growing interest in self-injurious behavior (SIB) among adolescents. The lifetime prevalence of SIB is between 16 and 22% in community sample with females more likely to engage in SIB. There are conflicting results about the global distribution of the prevalence of SIB and whether the SIB has increased in the 21st century. Our aim in the current study was to conduct a systematic search of and meta-analysis on the prevalence of SIB in adolescents over the past 5 years’ worth of published papers and to examine gender, continental, and year differences. We conducted a systematic search in June 2020 of six databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, OVID Medline, PsycINFO, EBSCO) with three main search terms: “self-injurious behavior,” “prevalence,” and “adolescence.” Article inclusion criteria were (a) written in English; (b) published between January 1, 2015, and June 18, 2020; and (c) focused on a community sample. Titles and abstracts of the articles were screened first. Then, the relevant full texts were read, and those that met the inclusion criteria were collected. We used Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used to conduct the analyses. After the screening process 97, articles were included in the meta-analysis. The age of the samples ranged from 11.00 to 18.53 years. The overall average prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury in the studies was 16%. There was a significant gender difference: females reported a higher prevalence than males (19.4% and 12.9%, respectively). A significantly higher prevalence was found among Asian articles than those from other continents (19.5% and 14.7%, respectively). The prevalence of SIB did not change significantly between 2013 and 2018. The current research draws attention to the high prevalence of SIB among adolescents, especially among females and those living in Asia. It is important to address this behavior, both in terms of prevention and intervention.

The co-existence of gaming disorder (GD) with other mental health problems has been widely reported. Despite the growing research interest in the comorbidity of GD with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to date, no quantitative synthesis has been performed. The present study comprised a systematic literature search using Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. Three types of studies were included in the analyses: studies reporting (i) correlation coefficients between the symptoms of GD and ADHD, (ii) means, and standard deviations for comparison of GD severity between ADHD/non-ADHD individuals, and (iii) comparison of ADHD severity between GD/non-GD individuals. The results indicated a moderate relationship between GD and ADHD symptom severity when both subdomains of ADHD were combined (r = 0.296), and also when only inattention (r = 0.306) or hyperactivity (r = 0.266) symptoms were analyzed, which was also confirmed in a structural equation model meta-analysis. Studies showed a large average difference comparing the GD symptom severity of ADHD and non-ADHD individuals (g = 0.693), or ADHD symptom severity of GD and non-GD individuals (g = 0.854). In some cases, higher estimates of association were reported among studies that (i) had a higher proportion of males, (ii) assessed problematic internet use among predominantly videogame player samples rather than assessing only GD, and (iii) had been more recently published. The present review shows that this is an emerging field demonstrating significant results in cross-sectional correlational studies. However, future research should apply more rigorous methodologies to investigate the relationship further (e.g., longitudinal studies and studies using professional/clinical ratings and diagnosis). These results suggest that screening and treatment for ADHD among individuals with gaming disorder is necessary, and individuals with ADHD should be made aware of their higher susceptibility to gaming disorder.

This is the first pilot study with children that has assessed the effects of a brain–computer interface-assisted mindfulness program on neural mechanisms and associated cognitive performance. The participants were 31 children aged 9–10 years who were randomly assigned to either an eight-session mindfulness training with EEG-feedback or a passive control group. Mindfulness-related brain activity was measured during the training, while cognitive tests and resting-state brain activity were measured pre- and post-test. The within-group measurement of calm/focused brain states and mind-wandering revealed a significant linear change. Significant positive changes were detected in children’s inhibition, information processing, and resting-state brain activity (alpha, theta) compared to the control group. Elevated baseline alpha activity was associated with less reactivity in reaction time on a cognitive test. Our exploratory findings show some preliminary support for a potential executive function-enhancing effect of mindfulness supplemented with EEG-feedback, which may have some important implications for children’s self-regulated learning and academic achievement.

Mindfulness has been shown in prior studies to be an effective device to help students develop self-regulatory skills, including executive functions. However, these effects have been rarely tested at scale in technology-assisted learning systems such as digital learning games. In this work, we investigate the effects of mindfulness in the context of playing and learning with Decimal Point, a digital learning game for mathematics. We conducted a study with 5th and 6th grade students in which three conditions were compared - the game with short mindfulness meditations integrated, the game with similar-length, age-appropriate stories integrated, and the game in its original form. From the study results, we found no differences in time spent on the game, error rates while playing, or learning outcomes across the three conditions. Embedding mindfulness prompts within the game did not enhance learning or change students' gameplay behaviors, which suggests that we may not have successfully induced a state of mindfulness or that mindfulness is not beneficial for learning within digital learning games. We discuss the challenges of incorporating individual mindfulness meditations in elementary and middle school classrooms.