Children actively meditating experience lower activity in parts of the brain involved in rumination, mind-wandering, and depression, our team found in the first brain-imaging study of people younger than 18 years old. Over-activity in this collection of brain regions, known as the default mode network, is thought to be involved in the generation of negative self-directed thoughts—such as “I am such a failure”—that are prominent in mental disorders such as depression.
In our study, we compared a simple form of distraction—counting backward from 10—with two relatively simple forms of meditation: focused attention to the breath and mindful acceptance. Children in an MRI scanner had to use these techniques while watching distress-inducing video clips, such as a child receiving an injection….