| The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a mindfulness training program, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C). MBCT-C is a 12-week program that was adapted from the adult MBCT program, initially developed by Segal, Williams, and Teasdale (2002), for the prevention of depressive relapse. The sample consisted of low-income, mostly minority children, between the ages of 9 and 12, who resided in the inner city. The program's aim was to train this sample of children in mindfulness techniques to effect reductions in internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral problems.;The feasibility component of the study was determined by recruitment, attendance, and retention rates. The response rate from the initial recruitment efforts was 74%. Final enrollment consisted of 24 children, who were randomly assigned to either the experimental or the wait-list control group. Eighty-eight percent of participants completed the program, and 12% of participants dropped out of the program. For those children who completed the program, the overall attendance rate was 89%.;The effectiveness component of the study was determined by comparing pretest, posttest, and three-month follow-up measures between the experimental and wait-list control groups. The first set of analyses was conducted as a randomized controlled trial, and the second set of analyses was conducted as an open trial, comparing pretest to posttest for all participants. Results showed partial support for the hypothesized relationship between mindfulness and the outcome measures of internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral problems. There were no significant between-group differences, but there was an overall reduction in problematic symptoms within subjects.;The acceptability component of the study was determined by formal program evaluation, informal feedback, and anecdotal support through clinical observations. Results showed that the program was well-received and highly rated by the participants and their parents, indicating that MBCT-C is an acceptable form of group psychotherapy for this sample of low-income, mostly minority children.;Overall, this preliminary study shows promising support for the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of MBCT-C for the treatment of childhood problems. Future research efforts may include further program development and evaluation, and replication studies with larger sample sizes. |
