An in-school mindfulness-based intervention for underserved youth: Exploring stress as a mediator of emotional well-being and anxiety

Youth from historically underserved backgrounds, including those from low-income households or minority groups, are more likely to experience increased stress and anxiety and lower emotional well-being. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are a potentially sustainable, evidence-based method of providing mental health care within the school setting. This paper aimed to offer a foundational understanding of whether an MBI administered in school may improve anxiety and emotional well-being in underserved youth by decreasing stress. Although the intervention had no effect on students’ outcomes, findings contribute to the limited but growing literature evaluating MBIs in diverse educational contexts. Results indicated that mid-intervention stress significantly predicted post-intervention anxiety and emotional well-being. These findings suggest reducing stress may be a key target for improving mental health outcomes among students in underserved communities and highlight the need for further research to enhance the effectiveness and cultural responsiveness of school-based MBIs.