The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Educator Stress and Well-Being: Results from a Pilot Study

Perceptions of a Mindfulness Intervention to Manage Stress and Support the Emotional Work of Teachers in Alternative Schools

“…These factors include increased resilience (Bernay, 2014), a reduced sense of time pressure (Jennings, Snowberg, Coccia & Greenberg, 2011;Jennings et al, 2013), improved teacher selfefficacy (Jennings et al, 2013;Poulin, 2009) and occupational self-compassion (Frank et al, 2015;Roeser et al, 2013). These results are also reinforced by findings into cognitive outcomes, such as greater focus and working memory capacity (Bernay, 2014;Roeser et al, 2013), which can be associated with reduced levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout.…”

“…Baer, 2003;Davidson, Kabat-Zinn & Schumacher, 2003;Frank, Reibel, Broderick, Cantrell & Metz, 2015). However, current research focuses largely on the results of mindfulness practices, rather than on defining mindfulness (Brown & Ryan, 2003).…”

“…A number of studies have found that mindfulness practice can result in a general sense of enhanced personal well-being for teachers, which includes a greater capacity to relax (Campion & Rocco, 2009), improved sleep patterns (Frank et al, 2015), enhanced physical health (Jennings et al, 2013) and overall life satisfaction (Poulin, 2009). More specifically, a number of studies have found a correlation between increased levels of mindfulness, brought about as a result of mindfulness practice, and reductions in clinical measurements of psychological stress (Gold et al, 2010;Roeser et al, 2013;Winzelburg & Luskin, 1999), anxiety (Flook, Goldberg, Pinger, Bonus, Davidson, 2013;Poulin, 2009;Roeser et al, 2013), and burnout (Anderson et al, 1999;Flook et al, 2013;Jennings et al, 2013;Roeser et al, 2013).…”

“…Yet the positive trends are not consistent, with some studies reporting null or mixed results in relation to the use of mindfulness to manage teacher stress and emotional exhaustion (Frank et al, 2015;Gold et al, 2010;Harris et al, 2015;Jennings et al, 2011;Jennings et al, 2013;Poulin, 2009). Variations in participant samples, such as low baseline levels of emotional exhaustion (Jennings et al, 2013), have been hypothesised to account for unexpected results.…”

“…Moreover, inconsistent statistical results have been found in a number of the quantitative studies into the use of mindfulness with teacher populations (e.g. Frank et al, 2015;Roeser et al, 2013).…”