with Laila Madni, Psy.D.
Overview: This presentation will provide a survey of recent literature targeting the state of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in samples of clinically symptomatic youth.
Primary focus areas: This presentation will deliver an overview of efficacy for various clinical symptomology, and discuss challenges of implementation in clinical samples. It will also provide suggestions, addressing these challenges, to increase availability of MBIs for youth in clinical settings. Specific MBIs discussed in this presentation include Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C), Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). A variety of clinical symptomology, both internalizing and externalizing, are discussed in relation to specific MBIs.
This presentation addresses the following questions for both clinicians and researchers:
• What mindfulness-based interventions are supported by existing research for working with youth, specifically in clinical settings?
• Which mindfulness-based interventions are most helpful for specific clinical symptomology?
• What challenges exist regarding availability and accessibility of mindfulness-based interventions to this population, and how can we overcome such obstacles?
Excitingly, mindfulness programs for youth are continuously surfacing, many of which are for school-based, nonclinical samples. These programs enable a wide-range of youth to participate and benefit from mindfulness practices. However, much fewer MBIs exist for treating clinical samples. Despite evidence supporting the efficacy of MBIs in treating clinical symptoms, many youth have difficulty accessing treatment. This presentation explains the need for clinicians and researchers to work in tandem to increase the availability and accessibility of MBIs to youth in clinical settings.
Laila A. Madni, Psy.D., is a Post-doctoral Fellow at the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center for Treatment and Research Program. She works with pediatric and adolescent patients in partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs. She completed her Clinical Internship at Tarzana Treatment Centers in the Youth Program where she worked with children and adolescents with substance use disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, disruptive disorders, and trauma in an intensive outpatient setting. Dr. Madni has extensive experience in suicide prevention and crisis intervention. Her doctoral dissertation examined differences between all-girls and coed high school alumni on measures of attachment style, depression, suicidality and body image. Dr. Madni’s professional publications include research on mindfulness, suicidality, and trauma in youth and adult populations. She has presented her research at local professional conferences including previous Bridging Hearts and Minds of Youth conferences.