Article Review - Mindfulness for teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress, burnout, and teaching efficacy

Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., Bonus, K., Davidson, R. J. (2013). Mindfulness for teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress, burnout, and teaching efficacy. Mind, Brain, and Education, 7(3), 182-195.

Background: Public schools suffer from rising rates in teacher turnover, which is often attributed to burnout. Stresses such as time demands, workload, organizational factors, and student disruptions; can impact teachers’ ability to be responsive and effective in the classroom. Teachers likely do not seek stress reduction treatment from mental health providers, so the provision of resources in school is important.

Purpose: To compare the effects of mindfulness training by comparing teachers who were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group and by using multiple methods of measurement.   

Hypothesis: Mindfulness training will be associated with reduced burnout and psychological symptoms, increased mindfulness, and improved performance on attention and emotion-related tasks, as well as more effective classroom teaching practices.

Definitions: Mindfulness – a stress reduction technique that targets attention and emotion processing by training individuals to pay attention to the present moment, on purpose, and without judgment; Burnout – three dimensions of burnout assessed included emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment; Teacher Classroom Behavior – three dimensions of teacher behavior assessed included emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support.

Selection: 18 (16 female, mean age 43.06 years, avg years teaching 12.83 years, avg teaching at current school 7.69 years) public elementary school teachers recruited from medium-sized Midwestern city representing four predominantly low income and racial or ethnic minority schools. 10 participants were randomized into the intervention group and 8 were randomized into the control group.

Methods: Pretest data collection occurred over the course of 4 weeks in the areas of mindfulness self-compassion, teacher classroom behavior, burnout, cortisol measurement, neuropsychological and attention tasks. Mindfulness intervention occurred over the course of 8 weeks. During the course of those weeks, participants completed weekly practice logs and recorded the number of minutes per day spent engaging in formal and informal mindfulness practice. Posttest data collection occurred over the course of the next 3 weeks.

Results: Both groups showed improvements on the mindfulness FFMQ observe subscale and in performance on the task of sustained intervention. The mindfulness intervention group showed significantly decreases psychological distress and burnout. The intervention group also performed better in observer rated classroom behavior and recorded higher levels of self-compassion.

Conclusion: The results of the study suggest the potential benefits of mindfulness training adapted for educators. Mindfulness training has the potential to promote teacher well-being as well as facilitate behavior changes that improve the classroom environment for elementary school teachers.

Limitations: The study is limited because it includes a predominantly female sample of European American decent.  

Strengths: The use of multiple methods provides strong support the improvements associated with mindfulness training.

Implications: The utilization of mindfulness training adapted for educators as a part of professional development could potentially improve educational practices and the quality of instruction provided. Mindfulness training also has the potential to reduce teacher turnover rates.

Future Research: Further research in a larger national sample would be useful to examine the efficacy of such programming. Also, the combination of teacher and student training could explore the effects on the classroom environment.