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Psychological symptoms in young people are on the rise
More and more youth suffer from sadness, anxiety and brooding. These complaints are also called internalizing problems since the emotional issues are directed inward. There are several possible reasons why young people suffer more from psychological complaints. These include performance pressure and (over)use of mobile phones and social media (which can cause insecurity and comparing them to others) and not enough real moments of rest. Larger social problems and crises may also play a role.
These symptoms can have serious consequences. For example, young people with mental health problems are at greater risk of developing suicidal thoughts. The symptoms can also affect their academic or work life and their health. Especially if these problems arise at a young age, they can be a first sign of the development of a mental illness. Therefore, early detection and intervention are crucial.
Can mindfulness training help?
Mindfulness training is effective in treating depression and other mental disorders. In a mindfulness training you learn to reflect on thoughts, feelings and other internal experiences. You develop skills to deal with difficult experiences without avoiding or pushing them away. This can help to recognize and break (negative) thought patterns. Research shows that mindfulness and meditation also affect the brain. Brain areas involved in worrying and judging yourself may be overactive in people with internalizing symptoms. In contrast, these areas are less active in people trained in mindfulness and meditation. So, mindfulness training can possibly help reduce the activity of these brain areas. Consequently, this could help prevent mental illnesses such as depression.
Our PRYME research: mindfulness as an early intervention
The effectiveness of mindfulness training has been studied primarily in adults with mental illness, but a growing body of research shows that mindfulness also shows promise for adolescents. Research suggests that mindfulness training is especially effective in clinical settings, to treat mental health symptoms. As a universal prevention tool in non-clinical contexts, such as schools, it appears to be less effective.
In our study called PRYME, we look at whether mindfulness training – the Learning to Deal with Stress (LOS) training – can help reduce internalizing symptoms in adolescents youth and whether it reduces the risk of developing a mental illness. The 8-week training, developed by UvA Minds, combines mindfulness with exercise and yoga and is specifically designed for adolescents youth with internalizing symptoms.
By better understanding whether and in what way mindfulness training works for adolescents youth with internalizing symptoms, we can contribute to more effective forms of early intervention for youth who experience these types of symptoms. This opens the way to treatments that are low-threshold, less burdensome and potentially cost-saving compared to care that is deployed when more serious mental illness has developed. In addition, this type of research contributes to a better understanding of the cognitive and neurobiological processes involved in the development of mental disorders.
Want to know more about our research?
Our research is conducted at the Donders Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging and the Radboudumc Center of Excellence for Mindfulness. If you would like to learn more about our research, please visit our PRYME website via the link.
Credits
Author: Maud Schepers
Buddy / Editor: Helena Olraun & Natalie Nielsen
Translation: Helena Olraun
Editor translation: Natalie Nielsen
Photo by Kammeran Gonzalez-Keola on Pexels
