Hair cortisol reduction and social integration enhancement after a mindfulness‐based intervention in children

Abstract

Background Over recent decades, chronic stress at an early age has become a worrying health problem in children. We seek to evaluate an intervention involving mindfulness‐based practices and prosocial activities in 7‐ to 8‐year‐old children. Methods Stress levels were determined using hair cortisol concentration (HCC), and social integration was measured by means of a sociogram. The program had previously proven to be effective in decreasing salivary cortisol levels and in favouring social integration in children. A total of 35 children participated in the study: 18 constituted the intervention group and 17 the wait‐list group. In both groups, HCC and social integration were evaluated before and after the intervention conducted throughout an entire school year. Results The experimental group showed a significant reduction in HCC, as well as significant enhancement of social integration levels, whereas no changes were observed in the wait‐list group. Conclusions This is the first research to show that HCC, a reliable neuroendocrine indicator, decreased as a result of a mindfulness‐based program. This successful outcome adds new evidence to previous findings regarding the reduction of chronic stress in children following participation in this program.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Peer Relationships of Children and Adolescents: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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