This study aimed to evaluate the effect of contemplation and meditation (CM) training, with a focus on developing great compassion, on the psychological well-being (PWB) of adolescents. Participants (N = 51, mean age = 15.8) were randomly allocated to either CM training (n = 26) or a comparison group (n = 25). Both groups completed measures of PWB before and after the intervention. Adolescents who received CM training showed statistically significant increases in environmental mastery and personal growth, as well as decreased negative affect compared to the comparison group. Girls in the experimental group also showed a significant decrease in negative affect compared with boys in the experimental group. Both the experimental and comparison groups demonstrated increased life satisfaction, environmental mastery, self-acceptance, autonomy, and purpose in life. There were no changes in positive affect and positive relations with others for both groups.

In this study, two research questions were posed. In the first place, this study investigated the levels of exposure to violence among the adolescents as a total group (Venda- and Northern Sotho-speaking), as well as the exposure levels of the two ethnic groups. <b>Opsomming</b> Twee navorsingsvrae is in hierdie studie gestel. Eerstens het hierdie studie ondersoek ingestel na die vlakke van blootstelling aan geweld onder die groep adolessente as geheel (Venda- en Noord-Sotho-sprekers), asook na die blootstellingsvlakke van die twee etniese groepe. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text