It takes a village: Reflections on a randomized controlled trial to teach mindfulness skills to teens in foster and kinship care

Abstract

In this article, we reflect on a pilot project implementing a mindfulness-based stress reduction program among traumatized youth in foster and kinship care. We adapted a mindfulness intervention to teach self-regulation skills in a supportive, interactive, social group setting environment. Our hypothesis was that teaching mindfulness skills would enhance youth competency in stress management by giving them tools for self-regulation. In response to youth request for social groups, we adapted a mindfulness intervention aimed at stress reduction to include supervised social activities. Our program was marked by two adverse events: raising considerations regarding safety and supervision when in group settings with youth who previously experienced adverse childhood experiences and are prone to extreme reactivity and escalating behaviors. We share our experiences and recommendations for future research and practice, including recruitment considerations, opinions of group versus individual therapy, intensity of supervision of high-risk youth, training and support for graduate student volunteers working with youth in the child welfare system, and expectations for foster and adoptive family support of these youth. Our collective goal is to promote the health and wellness of these young people, equipping them with self-efficacy skills for future success, which may include mindfulness training. We realize that there is no one best approach to reaching this goal, and we need to consider safety and practicality when designing programs for youth in foster and kinship care.