Sadh-Gauri, A., & Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (2024). Effect of a peer-led meditation club on adolescents’ well-being, empathy, and compassion. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000400

Many studies have examined the effect of meditation sessions led by experienced teachers on personal benefits for adults. The present study investigated the effect of broad-based mindfulness practices with an adolescent peer facilitator on prosocial outcomes in addition to individual gains. The 20 study participants were classified into a nonintervention group that received no treatment and an intervention group that joined a meditation club at a large public high school where they received instruction on breath meditation, compassion meditation, and loving–kindness meditation.

Wilcoxon rank-sum tests indicated statistically significant increases in pre–post difference scores for Well-Being, Empathy, Compassion, and Prosocial Peer Attitudes and Behaviors in the intervention group compared to the nonintervention group. No differences were found for Mindful Awareness, Social Connectedness, and Affect. Approximately 68% of the variance in Compassion was accounted for by Well-Being and absence of COVID-19 exposure. After 10 weeks, participants self-reported that they definitively (60%) or likely (40%) benefited from the intervention. Peer-run mindfulness clubs in schools represent a promising strategy for adolescents to manage personal well-being and become agents for enhancing peer relations and school culture through the cultivation of empathy and compassion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved)