Effect of the MindUP Program on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Pakistani Orphan Adolescents

This study evaluates the effectiveness of the MindUP mindfulness-based program in reducing depression, anxiety, and stress among orphan adolescents in Pakistan. Adolescents living in orphan care institutions often experience significant psychological distress due to early life adversity, loss of parental support, and institutional living conditions. A school-based quasi-experimental design was used to examine whether participation in the MindUP program improves mental health outcomes among orphan adolescents. Participants were adolescents residing in orphanages in Pakistan who were assigned to either an intervention group receiving the MindUP program or a comparison group receiving routine institutional activities. The MindUP intervention consisted of structured mindfulness and social-emotional learning sessions designed to enhance emotional regulation, attention, and psychological well-being. The program was delivered over several weeks by trained facilitators. Psychological outcomes including depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using standardized self-report scales before and after the intervention. The study aims to determine whether the MindUP program is effective in improving mental health among orphan adolescents in low-resource institutional settings.