A Handbook on Anxiety Disorders: Mindfulness as a Therapeutic Intervention for Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescents with anxiety disorders is a rising concern in the field of mental health and education. Due to the large percentages of people who endure anxiety, this present project focuses on providing individuals with a practical and comprehensive resource tool that revolves around implementing mindfulness as a therapeutic intervention for adolescents with anxiety disorders. The handbook was developed from the empirical research and the Needs Assessment questionnaire data from four participants’ feedback on mindfulness-based interventions in relation to anxiety disorders. The same four participants were asked to fill out an Evaluative questionnaire and submitted their feedback. The participants’ feedback was taken into consideration in the final evaluation of the handbook. The data collected in this study provided further evidence on how mindfulness-based interventions are still in their preliminary stages of awareness as most participants allotted to not having adequate knowledge about mindfulness and the potential benefits mindfulness can have on adolescents with anxiety. The potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions were theoretically framed in this handbook using Bandura’s (1986) Triadic Theory of Reciprocity. Bandura’s theory assists in explaining the benefits mindfulness could have on individual’s with anxiety disorders due to how Bandura allotted to the reciprocal connection between cognition, behaviour, and the environment and how mindfulness-based practices emphasize the mind-body connection. Recommendations for further research and the limitations were examined.