Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Traumatized Adolescents: An Underutilized, Understudied Intervention

Abstract

Mindfulness involves the cultivation of conscious awareness and attention, with an emphasis on seeing and accepting things as they are. While mindfulness-based interventions have been widely examined among adults with posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], they were very scarcely studied among traumatized adolescents. In this paper, we address this gap in knowledge. We present evidence supporting the potential benefits of applying mindfulness-based interventions in PTSD, and argue that mindfulness, with its emphasis on nonjudgmental thought, mind–body connection, and a group setting, may be particularly suitable for traumatized adolescents. We therefore encourage researchers to allocate more resources to systematically study the utility of mindfulness practice among this population.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• mindfulness
• psychotherapy
• posttraumatic stress disorder
• PTSD

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Danny Horesh

Danny Horesh, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, assistant professor, and head of the Child Clinical Psychology Program at Bar-Ilan University's Department of Psychology. He is also an adjunct assistant professor at NYU's Department of Psychiatry. His research focuses on factors associated with vulnerability and resilience to traumatic stress, as well as trauma in the family. In recent years, he has studied trauma in a variety of military (e.g., ex-POWs, combat veterans) and civilian (e.g., women following pregnancy loss, residents of inner-city neighborhoods) populations. He also studies the effectiveness of mindfulness-based psychotherapy for stress-related conditions.

Ilanit Gordon

Ilanit Gordon is a senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Research Center at Bar Ilan University (Israel). During her PhD work at Bar Ilan University, she studied the hormonal basis of the transition to parenthood and during her postdoctoral work at the Yale Child Study Center, she assessed the effects of oxytocin administration on the brain in autism spectrum disorders. In her Social Neuroscience Lab, she currently researches the neurophysiological basis of social function in health and at-risk. Dr. Gordon’s lab utilizes behavioral microanalysis techniques to assess naturalistic behavior, together with brain imaging methods, measures of the autonomic nervous system, and hormonal measures or intervention. Some of her major research projects include (a) the neural and behavioral impact of oxytocin administration in children with ASD, (b) the physiological basis of synchronization and social interaction in groups, and (c) the biological basis of charismatic influence in interacting groups.