Scientists from MIT studied impact of mindfulness on children
The scientists at MIT have discovered that utilizing mindfulness applications may be beneficial in aiding children to enhance their focus, behavior, and overall psychological well-being.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, a renowned MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) teacher, explains mindfulness as “awareness that comes from deliberately focusing on the present moment without judgement, in order to gain insight and wisdom”.
This view of mindfulness is not a way to avoid life’s difficulties, but rather a way to confront them with an “anchor of calmness and clarity”.
According to MIT News, it is simply “cultivating an open-minded attention to the present moment.”
A team of scientists from MIT initiated a study to assess if remote mindfulness activities conducted through an app could have the same positive effects as in-person practices.
The research, which spanned 2020 and 2021, found that children who used the app for 40 days experienced a decrease in stress and emotions such as loneliness and fear.
References
- Practicing mindfulness with an app may improve children’s mental health
- MIT Study: Practicing Mindfulness with an App Could Boost Children’s Mental Health
