Abstract:
This study investigated the effects of a short-term mindfulness training in a group home for mentally ill, at-risk adolescents with mild to moderate disabilities. Disruptive behavior causes challenges in any setting. Moreover, disruption can lead to aggression, and when not controlled, can change the climate of group homes and schools. Eight adolescents were taught mindfulness-based techniques from Mindfulness Curriculum for Adolescents provided by the MindfulSchools Program. The participants (n=8) in the age group 12 -19 years attended a public-school system and lived in a group home in a southern state in the United States. The eight clients were introduced to innovative mindfulness techniques for 4-6 weeks. The training introduced the participants to four lessons: mindful posture, mindful listening, heartfulness, and mindful thoughts. Clients and mentors were interviewed during the period of study. Narratives from the participants were compared and analyzed. A mindfulness survey was conducted at the end of the mindfulness training. Findings indicated that the high users and frequent users showed better benefits from sub-optimal users in a mixed method study. Clients shared that they felt calm and relaxed and were mindful when they experienced troubled situations. Mindfulness training and techniques helped to regulate, control, and manage adverse behavior in some clients. This intervention could be an alternate strategy that mentors and teachers might use to control children’s interactions within any setting.
