Mindfulness skills training for children

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Mental health difficulties are becoming increasingly common among children, and many children experience delays in accessing support. Mindfulness could help children develop skills to manage stress, emotions and everyday challenges, but existing mindfulness programmes are not always engaging or suitable for younger children. Stix Mindfulness is a screen-free mindfulness programme delivered through handheld electronic devices that use sounds, vibrations and lights to guide children through mindfulness activities. The aim of this study is to examine whether Stix Mindfulness is acceptable to children and their families, whether children are willing to use it, and whether the study procedures are feasible for a future larger trial evaluating its effectiveness.

Who can participate?
Children aged between 8 and 10 years (at the point of consent) who need support for their mental health and wellbeing, but who are not currently receiving support from an NHS mental health professional or are on a waiting list to receive such support, will be invited to participate. Parents or caregivers of eligible children and relevant school staff may also take part in some aspects of the study, where relevant.

What does the study involve?
Each child will participate for around 13 weeks, including baseline assessment, a 6-week intervention or standard care period, and a further 6-week follow-up period.
Following parental consent and child assent, children will complete baseline questionnaires about their mental health, mindfulness skills, and sleep. Participants will then be randomly allocated to either receive Stix Mindfulness training (intervention group) or no intervention (standard care control group).
Children practicing the Stix Mindfulness training will receive a pair of Stix devices and will be encouraged to practice mindfulness activities at home for 6 weeks, for about 10 minutes a day, with support from parents or caregivers as needed. Children continuing with standard care will continue with their usual support, but will not receive the Stix Mindfulness training immediately - they will be offered the same 6 weeks Stix Mindfulness training after they finish being part of the control group for the study. All participants will complete follow-up assessments at 6 and 12 weeks after randomisation.
Parents/caregivers will be asked to provide information about the child’s behaviour, specifically their attention, hyperactivity, impulsivity as well as social skills, attention to details, communication and imagination at study entry, and both parents/caregivers and teachers will be asked about the child's engagement at home and school at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks. Some children, parents/caregivers and school staff may be invited to participate in interviews, lasting about 1 hour, to share their experiences of the intervention and study procedures.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The training involves a range of fun activities to improve children’s mindful awareness of their breath, body, feelings, and thoughts. The training is both fun to take part in, and participants may benefit from learning mindfulness skills that could help them manage everyday stress, improve emotional wellbeing, develop coping strategies, improve their personal relationships, and enhance their overall wellbeing. You may also feel intrigued and decide to further read into the topic of mindfulness and increase your knowledge base around this.
Stix has already been tested in children without any safety issue or risk at St Mary’s CofE Primary School in Kent, Hewens Primary School in Hayes, as well as by Youth Resilience UK CIC. Some participants may find mindfulness activities or questions about their mental health upsetting. Participants can withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason. If a child is identified as experiencing severe anxiety or depression during assessment, the research team will follow an agreed safeguarding pathway and inform appropriate services through procedures agreed with participating schools and the ethics committee.

Where is the study run from?
The study is sponsored and coordinated by Brunel University of London in collaboration with the University of Surrey, University of Birmingham, Health Innovation East, and NIHR ARC East of England, and will be conducted through participating schools in and around London. Assessments may take place at school or at home, according to participant preference.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
October 2026 to August 2028

Who is funding the study?
The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR209767) (UK)

Who is the main contact?
1. Dr Krupa Vakani, Research Fellow, krupa.vakani3@brunel.ac.uk
2. Prof. Veena Kumari, veena.kumari@brunel.ac.uk

Contact information

Dr Krupa Vakani
Public

Brunel University of London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge
London
UB3 3PH
United Kingdom

ORCID ID	0000-0001-8625-1895
Phone	+44 (0)1895 274 000
Email	krupa.vakani3@brunel.ac.uk

Prof Veena Kumari
Scientific, Principal investigator

Brunel University of London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge
London
UB3 3PH
United Kingdom

ORCID ID	0000-0002-9635-5505
Phone	+44 (0)1895 274 000
Email	veena.kumari@brunel.ac.uk

Study information

Eligibility

Locations

Countries of recruitment

• United Kingdom
• England

Study participating centre

Results and Publications

Study outputs

Editorial Notes

07/10/2026: Study's existence confirmed by the College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Research Ethics Committee.