Exploring an intensive meditation intervention for incarcerated youth

Background: We examined the experiences of incarcerated adolescent males (N = 29) who participated in a one-day meditation retreat and 10-week meditation programme. Method: Self-report surveys assessing mindfulness, self-regulation, impulsivity and stress; behavioural assessments; and focus group data were examined. Results: We observed significantly higher scores in self-regulation (p = .012) and psychometric markers demonstrated psychological enhancement. No behavioural change was observed. Six themes emerged: enhanced well-being, increased self-discipline, increased social cohesiveness, expanded self-awareness, resistance to meditation and future meditation practice. Conclusions: Early evidence suggests that meditation training for incarcerated youth is a feasible and promising intervention.