Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training for School Teachers in Difficult Times: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Author: Kitty Ka Yee Tsang1, Kathy Kar-Man Shum2, Winnie Wai Lan Chan2, Shirley X Li2,3, Hong Wang Kwan1, Michael R Su1, Bernard Pak Ho Wong4, Shui-Fong Lam1
Affiliation:
1 Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
2 Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
3 The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
4 Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
Conference/Journal: Mindfulness (N Y)
Date published: 2021 Sep 16
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1007/s12671-021-01750-1. , Word Count: 259
Objectives:
Research in recent years has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can enhance teachers' mental and physical health. However, the existing studies were predominantly conducted in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) societies. As a randomized controlled trial in a non-WEIRD society, the present study examined the effectiveness and mechanisms of mindfulness training for Hong Kong teachers in difficult times.
Methods:
Teachers from primary and secondary schools (n = 186) were randomly assigned to mindfulness training (eight-week .b Foundations) or waitlist control condition. They completed online self-report surveys on measures of well-being, emotion management, and mindfulness in teaching at baseline, post-intervention, and two-month follow-up.
Results:
The intervention group reported significantly higher levels of life satisfaction, positive affect, general health, along with significantly lower levels of insomnia, stress, and negative affect than the control group at post-test and two-month follow-up. The effect sizes were medium to large (η p 2 = 0.06 to 0.14). More importantly, teachers' baseline well-being had a significant moderating effect on the intervention effectiveness. Those with a lower baseline in well-being benefitted more than their counterparts with a higher baseline. In addition, teachers' emotion management was found to be the mediator through which mindfulness training enhanced teachers' well-being. Such improvement in well-being also predicted higher levels of mindfulness in teaching.
Conclusions:
This study provides evidence on the efficacy of mindfulness training for teachers beyond WEIRD societies. It suggests the universality and practicality of mindfulness training in enhancing teachers' well-being and reducing their distress in difficult times.
Keywords: Emotion management; Mindful teaching; Mindfulness; Stress; Teacher; Well-being.
PMID: 34545293 PMCID: PMC8443903 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-021-01750-1
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