A Big Mindfulness Study on Kids Just Changed the Conversation
Sometimes science humbles us.
One of the largest studies ever conducted on mindfulness in schools was recently published, and the findings were surprising for the entire field of contemplative science. Instead of confirming the hope that mindfulness would improve children’s mental health, the results were basically the opposite.
What the Study Found
Researchers in Denmark carried out a nationwide, cluster-randomized trial with over 1,700 students aged 9–16. Teachers were trained extensively to deliver a 10-session mindfulness curriculum in their classrooms. Students were then followed for eight months.
Here’s what they found:
No meaningful difference in mental health between students who received mindfulness training and those who didn’t.
Among at-risk students, there were even negative effects: increased hyperactivity and poorer self-rated health, especially among boys and younger students.
These results echoed findings from the earlier UK MYRIAD trial, another massive study that also failed to show benefits and in some cases found detrimental effects.
For a field that has been buoyed for decades by small studies showing promising results, these findings landed like a thunderclap.
Why This Matters
In contemplative science, we often celebrate the “good news” stories:
Meditation rewires your brain in just minutes a day!
Mindfulness boosts resilience and focus in kids!
But the truth is more complicated. When we leap to conclusions based on small or early studies, we risk painting an incomplete (or misleading) picture.
The opposite mistake happens too. When large-scale studies show null or negative results, detractors are quick to say, “See? Meditation doesn’t work at all.”
Both extremes miss the point.
What We Can Really Learn
These findings don’t mean mindfulness is useless in schools. But they do point to three deeper lessons:
Context matters. Teaching mindfulness isn’t like teaching math. The person delivering the practice — their depth, presence, and embodiment — may matter as much as the curriculum itself. Research in psychotherapy shows the therapeutic alliance (the trust and connection between therapist and client) predicts outcomes more strongly than the type of therapy. The same may be true for mindfulness: kids can sense whether their teacher genuinely embodies what they’re teaching.
Interventions must be tailored. Practices that help stressed adults in workplaces may not automatically help 9-year-olds navigating school, hormones, and social dynamics. Programs for children need to be developmentally sensitive, engaging, and trauma-informed.
Humility is a scientific virtue. This study is a reminder that evidence can surprise us, and sometimes disappoint us. That’s part of science. Instead of chasing flashy headlines, we need to hold results lightly, learn from them, and keep refining our methods.
A Slow Process of Adaptation
It’s important to recognize that this was not a slapdash effort. The researchers behind these trials are some of the smartest, most thoughtful scientists in the world. The teachers who led the programs were highly skilled and deeply committed. Years of work and careful planning went into these interventions.
And yet, the results were still mixed at best.
That should remind us of something essential: adapting ancient practices to new contexts is never quick or easy. What works for adults in clinical or retreat settings doesn’t automatically translate to children in classrooms. Finding the right formula…the right practices, delivered in the right way, by teachers who truly embody them…may take years, perhaps even decades.
From a historical perspective, this is exactly how change unfolds. When new ideas and practices move into new cultures and communities, the process of adaptation is slow. There are missteps, recalibrations, and long periods of experimentation before things take root.
What About Supporting Teachers First?
At the Center for Healthy Minds, we’ve been exploring a different approach for decades: one that focuses not on the children first, but on the teachers themselves.
In two recent studies involving more than 1,000 teachers across the U.S., we shifted the focus to supporting educators’ well-being. Using the skills outlined in our Healthy Minds Framework and practiced through the Healthy Minds Program app, teachers spent just a few minutes each day training in awareness, connection, insight, and purpose.
Even in the most stressful times, including the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers showed dramatic improvements across the board: reduced stress, depression, and anxiety, along with better attention, resilience, and social connection.
In our most recent (unpublished) study, the benefits went even further. Not only did teachers experience personal improvements, but these gains began to ripple out: enhancing classroom environments, improving systemic outcomes, and even raising student test scores.
The findings with these studies were everything we hoped for, but we still need to be humble. We have many more questions than answers at this point. The data is still early, and much more research is needed. But this line of work offers a glimpse of how contemplative science might take root in schools in a way that is both sustainable and transformative.
Zooming out, our work with teachers and school systems suggests a very different path forward than the Danish and UK trials. Rather than going directly to children with standardized mindfulness lessons, we may need to begin with teachers. Equipping them with the tools to cultivate their own well-being, embody the practices authentically, and then naturally bring that presence into the classroom.
And this logic doesn’t stop with teachers. Parents, caregivers, and all the adults who shape children’s daily lives have an equally powerful role to play. When adults build these skills first, the benefits extend outward in subtle but profound ways, creating healthier environments for kids to thrive.
Beyond the Headlines
So what’s the takeaway?
It isn’t that “mindfulness doesn’t work.”
Nor is it that “schools shouldn’t bother.”
Rather: if we want contemplative practices to support children, we must do it with care. We need programs designed specifically for young people, and we’ll probably need lots of iteration before we get it right. We also need teachers who are not only trained but who live the practices they share. And we need to keep experimenting, slowly and thoughtfully, as these practices find their place in modern institutions.
The promise of contemplative practice is still enormous. But this study is a humbling reminder that progress will be incremental; and that integrity and embodiment matter more than speed.
Why This Matters Beyond Schools
Even if you don’t have kids in the school system, there’s a bigger lesson here. In every part of life — whether in business, health, or relationships — the process of living with more awareness, compassion, and wisdom takes time. Inner transformation is not a linear path. It takes authentic connection, embodied presence, and practices that fit the context.
That’s as true in a meditation hall as it is in a classroom.
What do you think? If you were designing mindfulness for kids, what would you want it to look like? Do you have any experience with this? We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Please comment below and share freely.
Warmly,
Richie and Cort
Sources:
Juul L, et al. Mindfulness in the school curriculum? A nationwide cluster-randomized trial of the effectiveness of implementing a mindfulness-based intervention for 9-16-year-olds students in Danish elementary schools. Soc Sci Med. 2025 Aug;378:118117.
Hirshberg, M. J., Frye, C., Dahl, C. J., Riordan, K. M., Vack, N. J., Sachs, J., Goldman, R., Davidson, R. J., & Goldberg, S. B. (2022). A randomized controlled trial of a smartphone-based well-being training in public school system employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(8), 1895–1911.
Our new book is coming out next month! Pre-order Born to Flourish and get:
Live access to an exclusive Born to Flourish Launch Event
Richie and Cort’s personal reading list on the art of flourishing
A daily protocol for training the mind to flourish
1-year paid membership to Dharma Lab with weekly essays, research updates, podcasts, and member-only online events
Other Posts You May Enjoy:
Many years ago when i started a local sunday school for children of buddhist parents, I ask two of my most respected teachers for advice as to what was the most important thing to teach children. Amala (Chamba Chuchi, wife of Kangyur Rinpoche) said "help them learn how to live together in harmony".
Lama Guendeun (A khampa yogi who had spent 30 years in solitary retreat) said: "Give them tools so that they can find their own inner light."
I think mindfulness should be seen as a tool, not a goal. One of many tools we need to share with our children. Without compassion and moral guidelines, mindfulness it is worse than not; it sharpens the intellect which then serves the ego and not the greater good. When i do shamatta sessions with children (ages 5 to 17) we always start by each one voicing a positive wish and the intention to help oneself and others.
And yes I totally agree, children are incredibly sensitive to authenticity and will not believe nor even listen to a teacher who doesn't walk the talk. They are not asking for perfect adults, they need to see that we also are trying our best and learning from our mistakes. Humility is such a beautiful quality.
Another thing the children taught me is to be curious and ask them to search for methods and means to solve problems, spiritual, ethical and practical. When they search for and find a solution, they accept it and remember it. Thank you for everything you do to make the world a better place.
I came to the conclusion years ago that was better to work with the teachers / school staff and help them flourish as they know the pupils and create ' the weather in the classroom '. It's the focus of my book, The Mindful Teachers Handbook: How To Step Out Of Busyness And Find Peace. https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/the-mindful-teachers-handbook