School meditation studies show significant improvements on several cognitive functioning measures, though effects vary by measure and study¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2 · q2 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2015 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i2 In Warner's (2005) study, K–5 students with awareness training performed at a higher level than controls on working memory (d=.45), reflectivity (d=1.12), flexibility (d=.34) and conservation (d=.39). → Lea Waters 2015 q2 i? Effects were not uniform: Flook et al. (2010) found no overall executive functioning differences between groups, though children with poorer initial EF improved relative to controls; Napoli et al. found no group difference in sustained attention. → Lea Waters 2015 (2)

Evidence¶

Lea Waters 2015¶

Lea Waters, Adam Barsky, Amanda Ridd, Kelly Allen. (2015). Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9258-2

q2 · i2 · review · r2

The review reports Warner's (2005) between-subjects study of TM versus controls. Table 3 prints the effect sizes: working memory d=.45, reflectivity d=1.12, flexibility d=.34, conservation d=.39 (dIG, SDpost).

"Grade K–5 students who had experienced awareness training performed at a higher level than controls on tests of working memory, reflectivity, flexibility, and conservation"

Lea Waters 2015 (2)¶

Lea Waters, Adam Barsky, Amanda Ridd, Kelly Allen. (2015). Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-014-9258-2

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review reports Flook et al.'s (2010) RCT of Mindfulness Awareness Practices in 7–9-year-olds (intervention=32, control=32), with null overall executive functioning effects and a compensatory benefit for children with poorer initial EF. No effect size is printed for the subgroup finding.

"No overall differences were evident between intervention and control groups on parent or teacher reported executive functioning (EF). However, children with poorer initial EF showed improved EF subsequent to training compared to controls"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Evidence on meditation and academic achievement is scant: only three published studies, with the strongest from TM programmes on standardised test scores — related
• Embedded cognitive flexibility practice showed no overall advantage over phonics alone on growth in decoding, encoding, or cognitive flexibility — related
• Higher pretest cognitive flexibility predicted greater decoding gains and compensated for lower pretest alphabet knowledge — related
• Aerobic exercise improves executive functioning, most notably inhibitory control, in typically developing children, though evidence is tentative and one week-long study found no main effect — related
• Mindfulness training improves EFs most in 7–9 year-olds with initially poorer EFs, and yoga improves EFs where physical training alone does not — related
• Across all RCTs, mindfulness-based interventions significantly improve mindfulness, executive functioning, attention, depression, anxiety/stress and negative behaviours in youth, with small effect sizes — a broader claim this one bears on
• School meditation programmes foster small improvements in well-being, more consistently reducing negative outcomes than promoting positive ones — related