Impact of mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety and depression among adolescents with a neurological disorder: A systematic narrative review

Abstract

Background Adolescents with neurological disorders (NDs) experience significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, or both relative to adolescents in the general population. The purpose of this systematic narrative review was to examine the existing literature evaluating the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on anxiety, depression, or both among adolescents with a known ND.

Methods Articles published in the English language within the last 10 years were screened. Studies included in this review must have implemented an MBI.

Results Ten articles met the inclusion criteria for final analysis. Across the included studies, MBI-based physical and behavioral interventions demonstrated improvements in psychological, emotional, and behavioral outcomes, including reductions in pain, emotional dysregulation, and attentional difficulties. However, findings related to improvements in anxiety and depression were mixed, as several studies did not report statistically significant changes in either outcome.

Conclusions Future research is needed to clarify the effects of MBIs on adolescents with NDs and comorbid anxiety and/or depression. Future studies should specifically target this population to gain deeper insights into the impact of MBIs on mental health outcomes and overall well-being, with particular attention to anxiety and depression.

Keywords

Anxiety / Depression / Mindfulness / Neurological disease / Psychology / Therapy

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