1Article Review Paper
Students name
Institution affiliation
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Article: Chan et al., (2018). Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (MYmind) for
children with ADHD and their parents: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMJ
open, 8(11), e022514.
Research Question
The research question in the study is whether a mindfulness-based intervention (MYmind)
can be effective in improving ADHD symptoms and quality of life for both children with
ADHD and their parents.
Significance
The significance of this question lies in the fact that ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental
disorder that affects many children and their families. ADHD symptoms can cause significant
impairments in academic, social, and emotional functioning, leading to poor quality of life for
both the child and their family members. Current treatments for ADHD often involve
medication and behavioural interventions, but many families seek alternative or
complementary treatments to improve their child’s symptoms and overall well-being.
Mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in improving symptoms and quality of
life in individuals with various mental health conditions, but there is limited research on the
effectiveness of such interventions, specifically for children with ADHD and their families.
Important Concepts
The essential concepts in this study include ADHD, mindfulness, and quality of life. ADHD
is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity
symptoms. Mindfulness refers to being present and non-judgmental in the moment, and has
been shown to benefit mental health and well-being. Quality of life refers to an individual’s
overall well-being, including physical, emotional, and social functioning.
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Theories
Theories relevant to this study include the cognitive-behavioural model of ADHD, which
suggests that cognitive and behavioural factors contribute to developing and maintaining
ADHD symptoms. Mindfulness-based interventions may target these cognitive and
behavioural factors through increasing awareness and regulation of attention and emotion.
Additionally, the family systems theory may be relevant in understanding the impact of
ADHD on the family and the potential benefits of a family-based intervention like MYmind.
Methodology
The research design used in the study is a randomized controlled trial. Participants in the
study were children aged between 8-12 years with a clinical diagnosis of ADHD and their
parents. The participants were recruited from mental health clinics, schools, and through
advertisements in local newspapers.
The measures used in the study include a variety of self-report and behavioural measures.
The primary outcome measures for children included the Child Behavior Checklist and the
Child Attention Network Test. The primary outcome measures for parents included the
Parenting Stress Index and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales. Additionally, secondary
measures included the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, the Strengths and Difficulties
Questionnaire, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire.
The study began with an initial screening to determine eligibility for the study, followed by
random assignment to either the intervention group or the control group. The intervention
group received the MYmind mindfulness-based intervention, which consisted of eight weekly
sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours, with children and parents attending. The control group
received treatment as usual.
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The MYmind intervention aimed to improve attentional control and emotional regulation in
children with ADHD and their parents. The program consisted of various mindfulness
practices, including breathing exercises, body scans, and mindful movement. Parents were
also encouraged to practice mindfulness at home with their children.
Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Data analysis
included both within-group and between-group comparisons using mixed models, with the
primary analysis based on intention-to-treat principles.
Results
The study found that the MYmind program significantly improved the child participants’
ADHD symptoms, cognitive control, attentional control, and social-emotional functioning.
The program also improved parental well-being and reduced parental stress levels.
Specifically, children in the MYmind group showed significant improvements in their ability
to sustain attention, inhibit prepotent responses, and shift attention. Additionally, children in
the MYmind group showed significant improvements in their social-emotional functioning,
such as increased empathy and prosocial behaviour.
Discussion
These findings suggest that mindfulness-based interventions such as MYmind may be
effective for children with ADHD, as they can improve their symptoms and cognitive and
social-emotional functioning. The study also highlights the importance of involving parents
in the treatment process, as the MYmind program improved child outcomes and parental
well-being.
However, the study has some limitations. For instance, the study did not have a long-term
follow-up to assess the lasting effects of the MYmind program. Additionally, the study did
not have a control group that received an alternative intervention, making it difficult to
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determine whether the observed improvements were due to the MYmind program or some
other factor.
Based on these findings, we cannot conclude that mindfulness-based interventions should be
the only treatment for children with ADHD. Further research is needed to determine the longterm effects of MYmind and whether it is more effective than other interventions.
Additionally, it is essential to investigate whether the benefits of MYmind can be generalized
to other populations, such as adolescents or adults with ADHD.
Ideas For Future Research
One idea for future research based on the article is to investigate the long-term effects of the
MYmind program. While the current study showed promising results for reducing ADHD
symptoms and improving parent-child relationships, it only measured outcomes immediately
after the program ended. It would be valuable to conduct a follow-up study to determine
whether these improvements are sustained over time and whether any additional benefits
emerge in the months or years following the intervention.
To answer this question, researchers could conduct a longitudinal study in which participants
are assessed at regular intervals (six months, one year, two years) after completing the
MYmind program. Measures of ADHD symptoms, executive functioning, emotional
regulation, and social skills could be administered to both the children and their parents.
Researchers could also gather qualitative data through interviews or focus groups to gain a
more nuanced understanding of how the program has impacted families over time.
In addition, another idea for future research is to investigate the potential benefits of adopting
the MYmind program for older children and adolescents with ADHD. While the current
study focused on children aged 8-12, there is a need for interventions that target the unique
challenges faced by older youth with ADHD. Adolescents with ADHD may struggle with
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issues such as academic stress, peer relationships, and managing multiple responsibilities, and
mindfulness-based interventions may be a valuable tool for addressing these challenges.
To answer this question, researchers could conduct a randomized controlled trial comparing
the effects of the MYmind program to a control condition in a sample of adolescents with
ADHD. Measures of ADHD symptoms, executive functioning, emotion regulation, stress,
and academic achievement could be administered multiple times to assess the program’s
impact. Qualitative data could also be collected through interviews or focus groups to gain
insight into how mindfulness practices are experienced by older youth and to identify
potential barriers to participation.
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References
Chan, S. K. C., Zhang, D., Bögels, S. M., Chan, C. S., Lai, K. Y. C., Lo, H. H. M., … &
Wong, S. Y. S. (2018). Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (MYmind) for
children with ADHD and their parents: protocol for a randomised controlled
trial. BMJ open, 8(11), e022514.
Psych 2200 Article Review (Due April 3rd at 11:59 PM)
Why this assignment is worth doing:
Psychology is an extremely young and active field. We’re discovering new things all the time. This research is
communicated through journal articles. Pretty much every citation in your textbook is to a journal article that
you can go read yourself, if you want. If you read a news article that talks about some exciting new scientific
finding, they are usually talking about a new journal article. If you want to gain a deeper understanding of how
anything new is being discovered in any field of science, you have to learn how to read and understand these
articles.
Every article has a brand-new question it wants to answer. The authors explain why this question is important
and how they tried to answer it. Then, they talk about what their findings mean. Sometimes the findings
completely match their expectations. Sometimes they find unexpected things. Sometimes the findings don’t
answer their question, but tell us something new anyway. Sometimes the findings don’t answer any questions
at all. Some journal articles are amazing. Some are terrible. Every single article can be both appreciated and
criticized. An article will almost always tell us something new, and there is almost always something wrong
with them.
I want you to read one journal article from the field of developmental psychology. I want you to tell me what it
found, and then talk about what you think should be studied next, based on the findings. (This is often how real
science is done.)
Formatting & length requirements:
The maximum length is 6 pages double-spaced (not including title page, references, etc.). At least two
pages of your paper should be devoted to IDEAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. The default margins in Word
are 2.54 cm (or 1 inch), and you should use that formatting.
I want the citations, references, and headings in APA format. Otherwise, I just want it to be readable.
Selecting an article
The article you choose must meet the following criteria:
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Must be directly related to developmental psychology (can include adults, but must include children
aged 12 or younger).
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It needs to be an empirical article. It cannot be a meta-analysis, a review of other research, or a
theoretical paper; if it doesn’t have a “Participants” section, it is not an acceptable article.
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Must have been published within the last 6 years (i.e., 2017 or later).
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Cannot be an article discussed at length in the textbook or during lectures – I’ll check.
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Presents materials you find interesting and understandable. Don’t feel like you have to pick a highly
complex study that you might have difficulty summarizing within the page limit. A short article with a
clear, straightforward design is equally appropriate.
Structuring your Assignment
Your assignment should follow this general outline. You can use these headers to guide your writing if it helps
you organize your thoughts.
(Tip: beyond being a guideline for this assignment, this outline also serves as a guide to effectively reading
and understanding an academic article. Whenever you read an academic article in psychology, ask yourself
these questions as you are reading. You will walk away with a much stronger grasp of the material, and more
ideas of your own to show for it.)
SUMMARY – 4 pages maximum
Introduction:
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What is the research question being asked in this study?
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What is its significance? Why is it important that we answer this question?
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Introduce any important concepts, definitions, theories, etc. necessary to understand the study.
Assume I haven’t read the article. (Almost certainly true.)
Methodology:
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What research design does the study use? (Correlational, cross-sectional, etc.)
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Who were the participants?
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What measures did they use?
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Succinctly and in your own words, describe the procedure of the study.
Results & Discussion:
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Briefly describe the main findings of the study. What have we learned?
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How do these results address the broader research question?
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What are some of the limitations of the study? Are there problems with the design? Are there some
things we can’t conclude, based on the findings?
IDEAS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH – 2 pages minimum
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Pick one or two ideas you had yourself while reading the paper about unanswered questions or
ideas for future research. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on the subject, whatever they may
be.
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Why are those questions important? Why should we bother trying to answer them?
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How should we try to answer them? What kinds of things should we measure, or try to observe? This
isn’t a research methods course, so you don’t have to design a precise study (though you can if you
want). But please talk about how we could potentially study the question(s) you have in mind. I’m
happy to chat with you about your ideas.
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Do not discuss why you liked/disliked the study, or how it made you feel.
Tips for Doing Well in this Assignment
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The paper should be in your own words. I cannot stress this enough. Do not lift entire passages from
the paper without properly quoting them (this is plagiarism), and do not “scrapbook” together quotes
from the article and call it your own writing because you cited it properly. Again: do not do this. Write
your own paper, in your own words, explaining things in a way that makes sense to you.
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The key to strong writing is clarity. When you write, you almost have to pretend you’re the person
reading your paper, and you have to pretend that this reader is very confused and will only understand
what you’re talking about is if you explain everything very clearly. (This will always be closer to the
truth than you might expect.)
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Communicate your ideas in the most direct language possible.
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Put your thesaurus down. Long, fancy words do not make writing better. But they often make it
much worse. You won’t make your ideas sound bigger or grander by talking about them with big
words, but you might make it so the reader has no idea what you’re talking about.
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Try to organize your thoughts clearly.
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Each sentence should build on the last. Each paragraph should go in a specific place. If you
realize that you could basically rearrange your Introduction and nothing would change, you
might want to edit. It should flow.
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Good papers are often shaped like an hourglass. Here’s a link that explains what I mean by this:
https://www2.unbc.ca/sites/default/files/sections/academic-success-centre/hourglassnh.pdf
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Avoid redundancy. Don’t repeat yourself.
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Avoid repeating yourself. Try not to be redundant.
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Edit your paper. Write your paper, then go back and read it. Think about how you could improve it,
make it clearer, make it shorter, make it more impactful, etc. Repeat. If you have trouble thinking of
what to write, start writing random things that you think might work. Keep what works, delete or fix the
rest, and keep going. Keep editing until you’re happy with the paper (or run out of time). Don’t stare at
a blank page, just start writing something.
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Proofread your work before submitting.
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I’m not actively looking to penalize you for grammatical or spelling errors, but if your writing is
unclear or indicative of a lack of effort, your grade will reflect that.
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Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
