Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial

Abstract The aim was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention comprising a teacher-training program and the implementation of a ten-session mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in regular classroom teaching for 16- to 24-year-old students in Denmark. In a cluster-randomized trial (2019-2021),...

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Main Authors: Lise Juul, Morten Frydenberg, Emilie Hasager Bonde, Michelle Sand Beck, Katinka Goetzsche, Susanne Bruggisser, Lone Overby Fjorback
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Mental Health Research
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-025-00150-w
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author Lise Juul
Morten Frydenberg
Emilie Hasager Bonde
Michelle Sand Beck
Katinka Goetzsche
Susanne Bruggisser
Lone Overby Fjorback
author_facet Lise Juul
Morten Frydenberg
Emilie Hasager Bonde
Michelle Sand Beck
Katinka Goetzsche
Susanne Bruggisser
Lone Overby Fjorback
author_sort Lise Juul
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The aim was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention comprising a teacher-training program and the implementation of a ten-session mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in regular classroom teaching for 16- to 24-year-old students in Denmark. In a cluster-randomized trial (2019-2021), upper secondary schools and vocational schools for social and health care were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive the intervention (21 schools, 35 teachers, 438 students) or teaching-as-usual (22 schools, 38 teachers, 551 students). Eighteen self-report measures of mental health were collected at baseline, three, and six months, with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) as the primary outcome. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted using mixed-effects linear regression and bootstrapping. Fourteen intervention schools (n = 277) and 17 teaching-as-usual schools (n = 419) provided follow-up data. No statistically significant effect on the primary outcome (SWEMWBS) was found in the total population. However, a small positive effect on SWEMWBS was observed among females in upper secondary schools at three months, but not sustained at six months. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04610333, registered October 26, 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT04610333&cntry=&state=&city=&dist= .
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spelling doaj-art-19ffeb19db52443783c0978a8c415dfe2025-08-20T03:06:27ZengNature Portfolionpj Mental Health Research2731-42512025-08-014111010.1038/s44184-025-00150-wIntroducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trialLise Juul0Morten Frydenberg1Emilie Hasager Bonde2Michelle Sand Beck3Katinka Goetzsche4Susanne Bruggisser5Lone Overby Fjorback6Department of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityMFStatDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Danish Center for Mindfulness, Aarhus UniversityAbstract The aim was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention comprising a teacher-training program and the implementation of a ten-session mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in regular classroom teaching for 16- to 24-year-old students in Denmark. In a cluster-randomized trial (2019-2021), upper secondary schools and vocational schools for social and health care were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive the intervention (21 schools, 35 teachers, 438 students) or teaching-as-usual (22 schools, 38 teachers, 551 students). Eighteen self-report measures of mental health were collected at baseline, three, and six months, with the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (SWEMWBS) as the primary outcome. Intention-to-treat analyses were conducted using mixed-effects linear regression and bootstrapping. Fourteen intervention schools (n = 277) and 17 teaching-as-usual schools (n = 419) provided follow-up data. No statistically significant effect on the primary outcome (SWEMWBS) was found in the total population. However, a small positive effect on SWEMWBS was observed among females in upper secondary schools at three months, but not sustained at six months. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04610333, registered October 26, 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=&term=NCT04610333&cntry=&state=&city=&dist= .https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-025-00150-w
spellingShingle Lise Juul
Morten Frydenberg
Emilie Hasager Bonde
Michelle Sand Beck
Katinka Goetzsche
Susanne Bruggisser
Lone Overby Fjorback
Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
npj Mental Health Research
title Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
title_full Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
title_fullStr Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
title_full_unstemmed Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
title_short Introducing a mindfulness-based intervention in school curriculum to 16–24-year-olds. A nationwide cluster-randomized trial
title_sort introducing a mindfulness based intervention in school curriculum to 16 24 year olds a nationwide cluster randomized trial
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-025-00150-w
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