Trampoline-Mind': Promoting children’s mental health and preventing addiction by stress reduction and mindfulness-based elements in a group program for children from families with addiction problems

Children from families with addiction problems have a significantly increased risk of developing a substance-related or other mental disorder themselves and thus a special need for preventive interventions. Mindfulness-based interventions can positively influence self-regulation and stress reactivity. The addiction-preventive 'Trampoline' group program for children extended by mindfulness-based elements combines these approaches.

The feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based 'Trampoline-Mind' group program for 8-12 year old children from families with addiction problems will be evaluated by psychologists of the German Institute for Addiction and Prevention Research (DISuP, katho NRW, Cologne, Germany) by comparing survey data of child and parent at three measurement times. Each of the nine children group-sessions consists of several mindfulness-based exercises adapted for children like body scan or mindful breathing. Moreover, children are given knowledge and hands on advice how to cope with the parental disorder and how to strengthen self-esteem as well as self-efficacy and self-regulation skills.

We expect that 'Trampoline-Mind' achieves an improvement with regard to the use of stress management strategies, internalizing and externalizing behavioural problems, and psychological distress caused by the parental addictive disorder. The effectiveness evaluation of the modular group intervention 'Trampoline-Mind' can make a significant contribution to the further development of the evidence-based, selective addiction prevention in at-risk populations and contribute to the improvement of care services for children from families with addiction problems.

The project is part of the national research network 'IMAC-Mind - Improving mental health and reducing addiction risk in childhood and adolescence through mindfulness: mechanisms, prevention and treatment'.