The Effects of Mindfulness Skills Training on Academic Self-Regulation and Behavioral Inhibition among Adolescent English Language Learners

Sattarzadeh Bajestani, Nadiya; Mahvelati, Azadeh; Ghanizadeh, Afsaneh

doi:10.22059/jflr.2026.416838.1298

The Effects of Mindfulness Skills Training on Academic Self-Regulation and Behavioral Inhibition among Adolescent English Language Learners

Document Type : research article

Authors

Nadiya Sattarzadeh Bajestani

Azadeh Mahvelati

Afsaneh Ghanizadeh

Department of Psychology and Counseling, Faculty of Humanities, Imam Reza International University, Mashhad, Iran.

10.22059/jflr.2026.416838.1298

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness skills training in improving academic self-regulation and behavioral inhibition among adolescent English language learners.
Method: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Participants were 40 English language learners aged 15–18 years from two existing classes at Meraj Andisheh English Language Institute in Mashhad, selected through convenience sampling and assigned to experimental and control groups, each comprising 20 participants. The experimental group received mindfulness skills training in 18 sessions, with each session lasting 15 minutes and conducted three times per week. Data were collected using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and the Behavioral Inhibition/Behavioral Activation Scales. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for pretest scores.
Findings: The multivariate effect of group was statistically significant (Wilks’ Λ = 0.65, F(2, 35) = 9.42, p < .001, ηp² = 0.35). Significant group effects were also found for academic self-regulation (F = 16.65, p < .001, ηp² = 0.316) and behavioral inhibition (F = 12.676, p = .001, ηp² = 0.260).
Conclusion: Mindfulness skills training may be associated with improvements in academic self-regulation and higher behavioral inhibition scores among adolescent English language learners. However, given the limited sample size, the findings should be generalized with caution.

Keywords

mindfulness

academic self-regulation

behavioral inhibition

adolescent language learners

English language learning

Subjects