Applying a School-Based Mindfulness and Compassion Program (“Escuelas Despiertas”) in Spanish Secondary Schools to Reduce Psychological Distress in Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Adolescents present high risk of developing mental health problems. Different school-based programs have been designed to prevent and treat the psychological distress that they often experience with disparate results. In this study, we tested the efficacy of a school-based program framed into the “ Escuelas Despiertas ” initiative that teaches adolescents mindfulness and compassion to improve their mental health. In this randomized controlled trial, high school students from four Spanish secondary education centers (N = 277) were randomly assigned to a school-based 10-session mindfulness and compassion program (“ Escuelas Despiertas ”) or a relaxation program. Participants were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and at 6-month follow-up. The main outcome was psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12). Classroom climate and relaxation habits, among others, were assessed as secondary outcomes. Students who underwent the “ Escuelas Despiertas ” program experienced small within group improvements posttreatment in GHQ-12 scores ( p = 0.001, d = 0.31) and in relaxation habits ( p = 0.001, d = 0.35), although these were not significant compared to the control group. Classroom climate presented a small deterioration in the “ Escuelas Despiertas ” group compared to the relaxation group in the follow-up assessment, but this effect was not statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. In conclusion, the “ Escuelas Despiertas ” program produced small short-term improvements in psychological distress and relaxation habits in adolescents which were not significant compared to a relaxation intervention. In line with previous studies, it seems that punctual interventions delivered during some weeks might not be the best approach for adolescents, for whom mindfulness- and-compassion-based programs may not be engaging enough for different reasons.