A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Working Memory Capacity in Adolescents

Abstract

This is the first study to provide support for the benefits of short-term mindfulness practice, specifically mindfulness meditation, in improving WMC in adolescents. Results highlight the importance of investigating the components of mindfulness-based interventions among adolescents given that such interventions may improve cognitive function. More broadly, mindfulness interventions may be delivered in an abridged format, thus increasing their potential for integration into school settings and into existing treatment protocols.

A More Rigorous Examination of the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Working Memory Capacity

“…The lack of time by group interaction is consistent with prior work demonstrating that mindfulness meditation may enhance working memory capacity and functioning, but not consistently differentiate a mindfulness meditation group from an active control group on working memory capacity measures (Banks et al 2015;Jha et al 2010Jha et al , 2017Morrison et al 2014;Mrazek et al 2013;Quach et al 2016). The first potential explanation is that mindfulness meditation does not enhance working memory capacity when controlling for non-specific effects (e.g., engaging in training, expecting improvement).…”

“…The current study investigated if mindfulness meditation could enhance the capacity of the working memory system using recommended rigorous criteria for reaching such a conclusion: using multiple, valid indicators of working memory capacity different from the tasks participants trained on, and demonstrating improvement relative to an active, adaptive control group. This extends previous reports of working memory capacity improvement following mindfulness meditation training by using stringent design criteria that previous studies had not fully incorporated (Banks et al 2015;Jha et al 2010Jha et al , 2017Mrazek et al 2013;Quach et al 2016;Van Dam et al 2017;Zeidan et al 2010). It was hypothesized that the mindfulness meditation group would significantly improve working memory capacity from pretest to posttest, whereas the cognitive training group would not demonstrate such improvement.…”

“…Improvements in working memory functioning (Zeidan et al 2010), working memory capacity (Mrazek et al 2013;Quach et al 2016), and complex cognition (Mrazek et al) have been observed following training in mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation has also been shown to buffer and protect working memory capacity and working memory performance from decrements due to stress (Jha et al 2010(Jha et al , 2017 and negative affect (Banks et al 2015).…”

“…The previously mentioned mindfulness meditation studies that demonstrated working memory capacity improvement have included some or most of these criteria in their study design, but not all. That is, mindfulness meditation is a technique different from tested outcome measures (criteria 3) that has been shown to improve performance on valid (criteria 2), individual measures of working memory capacity and working memory functioning when compared to an active control group (part of criteria 4) (Banks et al 2015;Jha et al 2010;Mrazek et al 2013;Quach et al 2016;Zeidan et al 2010). The main goal of the current study was to more rigorously investigate the efficacy of mindfulness meditation by using, as part of the study design, all of the aforementioned criteria recommended by the reviews of the computerized working memory training literature.…”

Short-Form Mindfulness Training Protects Against Working Memory Degradation over High-Demand Intervals

“…In line with this prediction, several prior studies have demonstrated that MT can improve performance on measures of selective and sustained attention (e.g., Allen et al 2012;Jensen et al 2012;Jha et al 2007;MacLean et al 2010;Zanesco et al 2013), and WM (Chambers et al 2008;Jensen et al 2012;Mrazek et al 2013;Quach et al 2016;Van Vugt and Jha 2011;Zeidan et al 2010; but see Morrison et al 2014), and can reduce performance lapses associated with mind wandering Morrison et al 2014;Mrazek et al 2013).…”