The Power of Mindful Thinking: How Self-Compassion Mindfulness Helps Youth Thrive (2016)

Undergraduate: Katie Kilmartin

Faculty Advisor: Patrick Akos
Department: Psychology & Neuroscience

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In a highly competitive and stressful society, adolescents face many stressors from school, their peers, and family life. Increased stress can result in emotional and cognitive challenges such as depression and anxiety. Studies demonstrate the success of self-compassion mindfulness programs that can increase psychological well-being and decrease anxiety and depression in adolescents. The purpose of this study is to analyze the positive impacts of an 8-week self-compassion mindfulness program on five adolescents. A second goal of the study is to assess if participating in the program more than once is beneficial. This case study aims to understand how the program might benefit adolescents in a school setting, socially and academically. After discussing the potential impacts of the program, the study intends to evaluate if participating in the course again increased benefits. Participants reported greater benefits after taking the course a second time and reported a positive impact in school settings, such that components of the program helped with testing and communicating with others at school.