Effect of Integrated Mindfulness Meditation on the Mental Well-being of Adolescents from Diverse Backgrounds: A Quasi-experimental Study

Background: One in seven (13%) adolescents around the world suffer from mental health concerns. Youth in culturally diverse and under-resourced areas are no different. Mindfulness-based interventions seem to help promote mental well-being among adolescents. This study examined the effect of an 8-week school-based intervention, Integrated Mindfulness Meditation for Adolescents (IMM-A), on adolescents’ mindfulness and mental health. The participants were from socioeconomically and ethnolinguistically diverse backgrounds in Northeast India. Methods: Using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, the study included 72 participants (experimental = 36, comparison = 36) from a private secondary school. Implemented over 8 weeks, the intervention comprised 24 sessions with culturally resonant mindfulness practices. The Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences for Adolescents and the Mental Health Continuum–Short Form were used to collect the data, which were analyzed in SPSS v29 using t tests, mixed ANOVA, and effect size calculations. Results: Significant gains in mindfulness ( t = 7.67, P < .001, d = 0.99) and mental health ( t = 8.89, P < .001, d = 0.67) were demonstrated by the experimental group, but the comparison group showed no significant changes. The post-intervention between-group differences were also significant for mindfulness ( d = 0.50) and mental health ( d = 0.52). Time × group interactions for both mindfulness and mental health ( ηp 2 = 0.330 and 0.221) also showed statistical significance. Conclusions: The developmentally attuned and culturally adapted IMM-A program led to significant improvements in participants’ mindfulness and mental health. The study’s findings indicate that brief mindfulness practices in routine conditions can enhance engagement and outcomes. It offers a scalable, equitable, and feasible option to promote adolescent well-being in school contexts.