A Qualitative Feasibility and Acceptability Study of an Adapted Mindfulness Program for Children with Executive Function Impairments

Executive Functions are those cognitive mechanisms that moderate regulatory behavior, self-directed behavior and adaptive behavior. When executive functions are impaired, it is often, but not always, associated with a developmental disability. An impairment in executive functions may result in maladaptive behaviors which can lead to poor social integration and poor academic outcomes. Interventions designed to improve executive functions are gaining interest in the scientific literature, specifically mindfulness-based interventions. Mindfulness-based interventions are designed to improve cognitive functions through the regulation of attention and early studies demonstrate improvement in cognitive functions, emotional regulation, physical health and neurological function. However, few studies have examined the feasibility and acceptability of mindfulness-based interventions, particularly for adolescents with executive function impairments. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an adapted Mindful Schools middle school aged mindfulness program for adolescents with executive function impairment. Participant observation, interviews and document review were utilized to gather qualitative data from three adolescent males with executive function impairments. Direct interpretation and categorical aggregation were used to analyze the data. Results demonstrated that the adapted mindfulness program was feasible and acceptable to these three adolescents with executive function impairments