Roeser 2013

Source:   RESEARCH ARTICLE

APA Citation:

Roeser, R. W., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Jha, A., Cullen, M., Wallace, L., Wilensky, R., Oberle, E., Thomson, K., Taylor, C., & Harrison, J. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout: Results from two randomized, waitlist-control field trials. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 787-804.

Author bio:

Robert W. Roeser – Department of Psychology, Portland State University

Kimberly Schonert-Reichl – Child & Adolescent Development Lab, University of BC

Amisha Jha – Department of Psychology, University of Miami

Margaret Cullen – Independent Practice, Berkeley, CA

Linda Wallace & Rona Wilensky – Independent Practice, Boulder, CO

Eva Oberle & Kimberly Thompson – Child and Adolescent Development Lab, University of BC

Cynthia Taylor & Jessica Harrison – Department of Psychology, Portland State University

Notes:

MT = mindfulness training

EF = executive function

WMC = working memory capacity

Abstract:

87% of the teachers completed the program and found it beneficial; MT showed greater mindfulness, focused attention and working memory capacity, and occupational self-compassion, as well as lower levels of occupational stress and burnout at post-program and follow-up, than did those in the control condition 787

Quotes:

Coping can be understood as those appraisal processes and resources leading to effective regulation under stress, resilience as those leading to effective recovery from stress, and distress as ineffective coping with or recovery from stress due to a lack of resources to meet demands (Skinner & Zimmer-Gemback, 2009)

Our purpose in this study was to examine whether or not a MT that aims to teach teachers mindfulness and self-compassion as resources for coping with work place stress is acceptable, feasible, and efficacious in this regard 789

Research questions:

1.      Is an 8-week, 36-hour MT for public school teachers acceptable in terms of teachers’ perceptions that the MT delivers professional benefit and feasible in terms of teachings’ ability to do the home practices and to complete the program?

2.      Do teachers randomized to MT show greater reductions in psychological and physiological indicators of occupational stress and burnout at post-program and 3-month follow-up than those in a waitlist-control group?

3.      Do teachers randomized to MT show greater mindfulness, focused attention and working memory capacity, and self-compassion at post-program, and do such group differences at post-program mediate the impact of MT on reductions in teacher stress and burnout later at 3-month follow-up? 790

Reference: JKZ for mindfulness definition, p. 789

Intervention: 8-week, 11-session program; primarily experiential in nature and uses five main teaching activities to teach mindfulness and self-compassion to teachers: guided mindfulness and yoga practices, group discussions of mindfulness practice, small-group activities to practice skills in real life scenarios , lecture and guided home practice, and homework assignments 790

The program included didactic instruction (two lectures) on how to use mindfulness to regulate emotions and stress and how to use mindfulness to regulate emotions and stress more effectively 790

Participants – 58 public school teachers from Canada, 55 public school teachers from US 790-1

Data collection included

a.       A take-home survey that assessed teachers’ self-reported occupational stress, burnout, health, and wellbeing at the time points

b.      An objective assessment of each teacher’s blood pressure (BP) and pulse rates by trained research assistance or nurse practitioners at baseline and post-program

c.       A mindfulness training program evaluation survey and daily mindfulness practice journal collected at the end of the MT at post-program 791

Measures: FFMQ, Operation Span Task (focused attention & WMC), Self-Compassion Scale (modified for teachers), self-reported job stress from a longer inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, BP and pulse, salivary cortisol 792

 Results of two randomized, waitlist-control field trials in public school districts suggest that

a.       MT is both feasible and efficacious

b.      It is through the skills of mindfulness and a self-compassionate mind-set that teachers can more effectively manage stress on the job and, by inference, better attend to the interpersonal and instructional complexities of teaching and learning 798-9