A Scoping Review of Arts-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Children and Youth

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) hold promise for building resilience in children/youth. We were interested in understanding why some MBIs incorporate arts-based methods, and what key findings were identified from the study of these MBIs. We used a scoping review to address our research questions. Scoping reviews can help us better understand how different types of evidence can inform practice, policy, and research. Steps include identifying research questions and relevant studies, selecting studies for analysis, charting data, and summarizing results. We identified 27 research articles for analysis. MBIs included the use of drawing, painting, sculpting, drama, music, poetry, and karate. Rationales included both the characteristics of children/youth, and the benefits of the methods. Arts-based MBIs may be more relevant and engaging especially for youth with serious challenges. Specific focus should be paid to better understanding the development and benefits of these MBIs.