Table of Contents

Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 8
The Inclusive Nature of Mindfulness-Based Practice: Does Executive Functioning Play a
Role in Children’s Mindful Experience? ………………………………………………………………….. 9
The Secularization of Mindfulness ………………………………………………………………………….. 9
Developmental Perspective ………………………………………………………………………………….. 12
Executive Function ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 14
Mindfulness in Schools ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Purpose of the current study …………………………………………………………………………………. 18
Method ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 19
Design ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 19
Participants ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19
School Selection ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 20
Student Participants ……………………………………………………………………………………… 20
Teacher and Parent Involvement ……………………………………………………………………. 21
Program Implementation ……………………………………………………………………………………… 22
Measures ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 23
Demographic Information. ……………………………………………………………………………. 23
Cognitive Assessments ………………………………………………………………………………………… 23
Executive Function. ……………………………………………………………………………………… 23
Mindfulness Assessments …………………………………………………………………………………….. 25
Mindful Attention Awareness Scale for Children (MAAS-C). ……………………………. 25
Emotional Assessments ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 26
Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire – Anxiety Arousal (MASQ-AA). …….. 26
Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire – Rumination Scale-Revised (CRSQ-
RSR). ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 26
Resiliency Inventory (RI). …………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Social Assessments ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 27
Strengths and Difficulties. …………………………………………………………………………….. 27
Student Feedback………………………………………………………………………………………………… 28
Activity Feedback Report. …………………………………………………………………………….. 28
Procedure …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29
MindfulMe! Program……………………………………………………………………………………. 30
HealthyMe! Program ……………………………………………………………………………………. 32
Results ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 32
Data Analytic Plan ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 32
Preliminary Analyses …………………………………………………………………………………………… 33
Hypothesis 1 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 34
Strengths and Difficulties …………………………………………………………………………………….. 34
Mindful Attention Awareness ……………………………………………………………………………….. 34
Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire – Rumination Scale Revised ……………………. 35
Resiliency Inventory (RI) …………………………………………………………………………………….. 36
Mood and Anxiety Symptoms Questionnaire – Anxiety Arousal ………………………………. 37
Hypothesis 2 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
Outcome Measures ………………………………………………………………………………………. 37
Strengths and Difficulties …………………………………………………………………………………….. 37
Mindful Attention Awareness ……………………………………………………………………………….. 38
Children’s Response Styles Questionnaire – Rumination Scale Revised ……………………. 39
Resiliency Inventory – Optimism Subscale ……………………………………………………………. 40
Mood and Anxiety Symptom Questionnaire – Anxiety Arousal ………………………………… 41
Hypothesis 3 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 41
Discussion………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 45
Limitations and Future Directions …………………………………………………………………………. 50
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 53
Table 1. Age, Gender, Ethnic Background and Grade Distribution by Condition
(MindfulMe!, Control) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 54
Table 2. Pearson Correlations between the Parent, Teacher, and Self-report BRIEF2 …. 55
Table 3. MindfulMe! Program with Weekly Activities ………………………………………………. 56
Table 3. HealthyMe! Program with Weekly Activities ………………………………………………. 57
Table 4. Means and Standard Deviations for Raw Score, Percentile, and Classification on
the BRIEF according to Program (MindfulMe!, Control) and Respondent (Teacher, Parent,
Student) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 58
Table 5. Means and Standard Deviations for Outcome Measures by Program
(MindfulMe!, Control) and Time (Pre, Post) ……………………………………………………………………… 59
Table 6. Means and Standard Deviations for Change Scores by Program (MindfulMe!,
Control)………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60
Table 7: Weekly Activities and Major Feedback Themes (Positive, Negative) for
MindfulMe! participants …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 61
Appendix A ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 62
Appendix B ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 63
Appendix C ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 64
Appendix D ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 65
Appendix E ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 66
Appendix F ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 67
Figure 1. Flow of participants through study ………………………………………………………….. 68
Figure 2: Activity Feedback for Week One by Program …………………………………………… 69
Figure 3: Activity Feedback for Week Two by Program …………………………………………… 69
Figure 4: Activity Feedback for Week Three by Program …………………………………………. 70
Figure 5: Activity Feedback for Week Four by Program ………………………………………….. 70
Figure 6: Activity Feedback for Week Five by Program …………………………………………… 71
THE ROLE OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION IN MINDFUL OUTCOMES 6
Figure 7: Activity Feedback for Week Six by Program …………………………………………….. 72
References …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 73