Citation

Erbe RG, Middlestadt SE, Lohrmann DK, Beckmeyer JJ. Health Promot. Pract. 2018; ePub(ePub): 1524839918811803.

Affiliation

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Society for Public Health Education, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1524839918811803

PMID

30442018

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify adolescents' consequence, referent, and circumstance beliefs about trying to meditate at least twice in the next week in order to inform subsequent meditation intervention design. A survey based on reasoned action approach (RAA) constructs was developed and pilot-tested. Thereafter, adolescents ( N = 129), recruited from a northeastern U.S. high school, responded to open-ended survey questions eliciting beliefs underlying intention to try meditating. Thematic analysis was executed to examine beliefs and frequencies of beliefs. Five types of salient meditation beliefs were identified: advantages (e.g., reduces stress, increases relaxation, improves focus), disadvantages (e.g., slows everything down), supporters and disapprovers (e.g., family and friends), and facilitating circumstances (e.g., more time, fewer distractions). Adolescents recognize meditation as having health benefits but as also taking time. They further viewed meditation as socially acceptable but need sufficient time and a conducive environment to try it. To be effective, interventions designed to promote adolescents' self-regulation through meditation should address identified salient beliefs.

Language: en

Keywords

behavior change theory; child/adolescent health; curriculum; health promotion; mental health; school health; theory