Comparison of the Effects of Self-Determination-Based Positive Feedback and Mindfulness Training on Depression, Concentration, and Attention in Children Aged 7–12 Years
Keywords:
Mindfulness, Positive Feedback, Self, Determination, Depression, Concentration, AttentionAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness training and self-determination-based positive feedback in reducing depression and improving concentration and attention among children aged 7–12 years.
Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest design with a three-month follow-up and a control group. The statistical population consisted of children aged 7–12 years in Amol, Iran. Participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to mindfulness training, self-determination-based positive feedback, and control groups. The intervention groups received the corresponding training programs, whereas the control group received no intervention during the study period. Data were collected using the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Conners Teacher Rating Scale. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine changes across measurement occasions and differences among groups, followed by Bonferroni post-hoc comparisons.
Findings: Repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated significant differences among the three groups across time in depression, concentration, and attention (p < .0001). Mindfulness training produced a significantly greater reduction in depression scores and significantly greater improvements in concentration and attention compared with both self-determination-based positive feedback and the control condition. Positive feedback also significantly improved concentration and attention relative to the control group; however, its effect on depression did not differ significantly from that of the control group. The time × group interaction was significant for all outcome variables, indicating differential patterns of change across the three conditions. Follow-up comparisons further showed that the beneficial effects of mindfulness training were maintained at the three-month assessment.
Conclusion: Mindfulness training appears to exert broader and more persistent effects than self-determination-based positive feedback because it simultaneously improves affective and cognitive outcomes. Accordingly, mindfulness-based interventions may constitute an effective approach for reducing depressive symptoms and strengthening concentration and attention in children aged 7–12 years.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Zahra Akhavan (Author); Mojtaba Rahnamazadeh
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