Evaluating the impact of a school-based mindfulness intervention on peer relationships among Chinese migrant children : the role of self-concept and self-concept clarity

Abstract

Children’s peer relationships are considered to impact various aspects of their development and adjustment. Amidst the increasing urbanization worldwide, children who migrated from rural to urban areas are more likely to encounter peer problems than their urban peers. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been increasingly applied and have yielded promising results in improving children’s peer relationships. However, rigorously designed experimental research with active control groups is still scarce. In addition, although self-concept and self-concept clarity (SCC) have been linked to both mindfulness and peer relationships, the potential mediating role of self-concept and SCC has not been tested in intervention studies. Using children in a rapidly urbanizing society, China, as an example, this thesis aims to examine the efficacy of MBIs for childhood peer relationships, as well as explore the therapeutic mechanism of the intervention. Three studies are included: Study one is a systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 studies, which examined the effects of MBIs on peer relationships in children and adolescents. The results indicated that MBIs showed small positive within-group effects and between-group effects on peer relationships. The effects of MBIs on peer relationships varied significantly by participants’ age and facilitators’ background. Study two is a cluster randomized controlled trial. Twelve classes in grade 4 and 5 were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group and a psychosocial education comparison group (Psy-Ed). Questionnaires were used to measure children’s mindfulness level, peer relationship quality, peer problems, self- concept, and SCC before the intervention, after the intervention, and at 15-month follow-up. The results showed that, compared with the Psy-Ed group, children in the MBI group had fewer peer problems from post-test to follow-up. Besides, the findings showed mixed results regarding self-concept and SCC. Compared with the Psy-Ed group, children who received MBI reported improved self-concept regarding same-sex relations from pre- to post-test, but experienced decline from pre-test to follow-up. In addition, compared with the Psy-Ed group, children in the MBI group reported smaller improvement in SCC from pre- to post-test and a less decrease in SCC from post-test to follow-up. Besides, the study did not identify any significant impacts of MBI on the quality of peer relationships or mindfulness levels. Study three is a mixed-methods drawing-based study designed to explore children’s experience of the MBI. Twenty-nine children took part in an in-depth interview after participating in the mindfulness group. Children’s self-portraits that represent their perception of self before and after the intervention were collected during the interviews. The comparison of before- and after-intervention drawings suggested that children perceived benefits across several domains of social and emotional well-being. Thematic analysis of qualitative interviews elicited two key themes and five subthemes: (1) Emotional well-being improvement, which included two sub-themes, body-emotion awareness and emotion regulation; and (2) social well-being improvement, which included three sub-themes, impulse control, enabling prosocial behaviors, and reduced hostility. Overall, the findings from this thesis suggested that MBIs have potentials to protect children's peer relationships and self-concept, especially in challenging circumstances. However, these findings should be cautiously interpreted considering certain methodology limitations, and the null findings also require scrutiny.