Effects of Mindfulness Intervention on Anxiety and Attention in Students with Disabilities
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mindfulness on attention and anxiety in
students with disabilities. The study utilized mindfulness exercises from Sitting Still Like a Frog:
Mindfulness exercises for kids ( and their parents) by Eline Snel. These exercises were designed
to be used with youth ages 5-12, and eight youth age 12 participated in the study. The practice of
the exercise took place five-ten minutes during the students regularly scheduled school day over
an eight-week period. The lessons gave students knowledge, skills, and practice that helped them
increase their focus and overall resilience. The study followed a Pre-Experimental one-group
pretest-posttest design. Participants completed the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale for
Adolescents [MAAS-A], and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale [SCAS] to measure the pre
and postintervention result of mindful attention and anxiety. The results were analyzed
examining central tendency and a t-Test was completed. By comparing pre- and postintervention
data and examining the differences, these tools showed how mindfulness
interventions affect adolescent students with disabilities.
Subject
Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS)
mindfulness intervention
mindfulness
anxiety
students with disabilities
Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale for Adolescents (MAAS-A)