Mindfulness-based interventions have become increasingly popular in education settings. These types of interventions are being more readily utilized instead of punishment in reaction to poor behavior.
2. INTRODUCTION
• FEASIBILITY OF MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM (MISP)
• CAN WE IMPLEMENT THIS IN REGULAR SCHOOL CURRICULUM?
• STUDENTS ACROSS A VAST RANGE OF WELL-BEING, MENTAL HEALTH &
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT CAN ALL POTENTIALLY BENEFIT FROM MINDFULNESS
EDUCATION.
3. MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS PROGRAM (MISP)
CURRICULUM
INTENTION: YOUNG PEOPLE USING MINDFULNESS TO WORK WITH MENTAL STATES
AND STRESSORS WILL CULTIVATE WELL-BEING AND PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH.
MINDFULNESS: LEARNING TO DIRECT ATTENTION TO IMMEDIATE EXPERIENCE
WITH OPEN-MINDED CURIOSITY AND ACCEPTANCE.
• SKILLS:
• MINDFULNESS PRACTICES
• APPLICATION INTO DAILY LIFE
4. METHODS
PARTICIPANTS:
• SCHOOLS THAT WERE TRAINED IN MISP OR SHOWED INTEREST IN RECEIVING MISP
TRAINING.
• CONTROL SCHOOLS VS INTERVENTION (MISP SCHOOLS)
• NO RANDOM ASSIGNMENT
METHOD:
• INTERVENTION SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN MISP
• 9 MISP LESSONS TAILORED TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS
• MISP TECHNIQUES PRACTICED OUTSIDE OF CLASS
• TAUGHT BY TEACHERS THAT WERE TRAINED IN THE MISP CURRICULUM.
DATA COLLECTION:
• BASELINE (PRE-INTERVENTION), POST-INTERVENTION, FOLLOW-UP (3 MONTHS
LATER)
5. RESULTS
INTERVENTION SCHOOLS:
• LOWER DEPRESSION SCORES IN POST-INTERVENTION AND 3-MONTH FOLLOW
UP.
• INCREASED WELL-BEING SCORE AND LOWER STRESS LEVELS AT 3-MONTH
FOLLOW UP.
EVIDENCE OF MISP’S IMPACT ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS.
PROMISING EVIDENCE OF REDUCING STRESS AND ENHANCING WELL-BEING.
6. DISCUSSION
EVERYDAY LIFE:
• IF A MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOL PROGRAM WERE TO BE IMPLEMENTED, OVERALL,
THERE WOULD BE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE WELL-BEING AND MENTAL HEALTH
OF STUDENTS.
LIMITATIONS:
• SCHOOLS WERE NOT RANDOMLY ASSIGNED.
• ONLY USED SELF-REPORT SURVEY MEASUREMENTS.
FURTHER AREA FOR STUDY:
• USE DATA-COLLECTION TOOLS THAT GO BEYOND SELF-REPORTING (OBSERVER
METHODS, ETC.)
• INCLUDE A WIDER VARIETY OF SCHOOLS – NOT ONLY SCHOOLS THAT WERE
INTERESTED IN THE INTERVENTION.
7. WORKS CITED
KUYKEN, W., WEARE, K., UKOUMUNNE, O.C., VICARY, R., MOTTON, N., BURNETT,
R., CULLEN, C., HENNELLY, S. & HUPPERT, F. (2013). EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
MINDFULNESS IN SCHOOLS PROGRAMME: NON-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED
FEASIBILITY STUDY. THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, 203, 126-131. DOI:
10.1192/BJP.BP.113.126649
