Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training for School Teachers in Difficult Times: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effectiveness and experiences of integrating Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) in clinical education for nursing students: A mixed method study

INTRODUCTION

Nursing students can find clinical learning to be challenging, unpredictable and stressful. To address this problem, this study integrated Mindfulness into Peer-assisted Learning (PAL) for nursing clinical education and investigated the feasibility and effectiveness on improving student participants' emotional reactions, and explored the perception and experience towards the programme.

METHOD

This quasi-experimental, repeated-measure, mixed methods study was conducted in a convenience sample of 126 Year 2 and Year 3 university nursing students. The participants engaged in an online mindfulness peer-assisted learning (PAL) programme that consisted of mindfulness practice, senior students sharing their experiences, and peer-assisted group learning. Emotional status (in terms of depression, anxiety and stress), burnout and self-efficacy were measured at baseline, 8 weeks after programme commencement and immediately after programme completion. Linear mixed-effects models and an intention-to-treat analysis were used to investigate changes in the dependent variables over time. Thirty-nine participants were also invited to engage in semi-structured interviews to explore their learning experiences in the programme.

RESULTS

The programme significantly improved the participants' self-reported self-efficacy (β = 1.44, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.58 to 2.30, p = 0.001) and decreased their level of burnout (β = -2.31, 95 % CI: -3.24 to -1.38, p < 0. 001) but did not significantly alleviate their depression, anxiety or stress across time (p > 0.05). Three themes emerged from the qualitative data, namely 1) nurturing self-care capacity through mindfulness; (2) empowering essential skills for clinical placement; (3) maintaining momentum alongside various challenges and enablers.

CONCLUSION

The mindfulness PAL programme may facilitate nursing students' clinical preparedness. Further trials are recommended to investigate its applicability and use in clinical nursing education.

Interventions to Reduce Stress and Burnout among Teachers: A Scoping Review

Background: Teaching is recognized as a highly challenging profession. Experience of chronic stress is a risk factor for poor mental and physical well-being, and burnout. There is limited knowledge regarding optimal interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Objective: To undertake a scoping review of the literature in the last five years to determine various psychological interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Method: The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed. Relevant search terms were used to determine different interventions adopted to reduce teachers' stress and burnout. Articles published between 2018 and 2022 were identified using five bibliographic databases. Relevant articles were extracted, reviewed, collated, and thematically analyzed, and findings s were summarized. Results: Forty studies conducted in Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen kinds of burnout and stress-reduction interventions were identified. The most popularly studied intervention were Mindfulness-Based Interventions alone or in combination with yoga or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), followed by Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Mindfulness-Based Interventions led to decreased overall Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and emotional exhaustion subscale scores. REBT, primarily used with special education teachers, especially in Africa, has also shown positive results. Other interventions reporting positive outcomes include Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (SMART), Cyclic Meditation, Group Sandplay, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Sport-Based Physical Activity, Emotional Intelligence Ability Models and Christian Prayer and Prayer-Reflection. Conclusions: Stress and burnout can have a negative impact on teachers and, very often, on the students they teach. Implementing suitable school-based interventions is necessary to improve teachers' stress-coping ability, reduce the likelihood of burnout and improve general well-being. Policymakers, governments, school boards and administrators should prioritize the implementation of school-based awareness and intervention programs.

A Scope Review of the Teacher Well-being Research Between 1968 and 2021

This review aimed at portraying a nuanced picture of the trajectory of teacher well-being research during 54 years from 1968 to 2021. This review used descriptive quantitative analysis with a dataset of 774 journal articles. The developmental trend demonstrates a considerable change in the volume of publications conducted during the most recent 14 years. Findings of the current review identify that research foci have covered the antecedents, nature, and effects of teacher well-being in a descending manner. Quantitative methods were observed as the most frequently used method in research studies. Moreover, the use of qualitative and mixed research methods increased in recent times. However, due to the considerable absence of mixed methods, longitudinal, and experimental research designs in this review’s corpus, our interpretation has been restricted to the ways in which teacher well-being can affect as well as be affected by associated constructs. Research on teacher well-being positions itself at the intermediate stage focusing on fusion relations combining new and recognized structures and adopting qualitative as well as quantitative practices. This review supports the evolution of the teacher well-being literature and poses recommendations for future research.

Intervention Programs Targeting the Mental Health, Professional Burnout, and/or Wellbeing of School Teachers: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses

This paper outlines a systematic review and meta-analyses to identify, describe, and evaluate randomised and non-randomised controlled trials of psychological programs targeting the mental health, professional burnout, and/or wellbeing of school classroom teachers. Eighty-eight unique studies were identified for inclusion in the review, and of those 46 were included in the meta-analyses (23 randomised controlled trials). In randomised controlled trials, the programs examined had large effects on stress (g=0.93), and moderate effects on anxiety (g=0.65), depression (g=0.51), professional burnout (g=0.57), and wellbeing (g=0.56) at post. In non-randomised controlled trials, programs had moderate effects on stress (g=0.50), and small effects on anxiety (g=0.38) and wellbeing (g=0.38) at post. Studies were heterogeneous in design and methodological quality was generally poor, particularly in non-randomised controlled trials. There was an inadequate number of comparisons to perform sub-group analyses, meta-regression, or publication bias analyses. Most of the programs examined required significant time, effort, and resources to deliver and complete. These programs may not translate well outside of research trials to real-world contexts due to teachers being time-poor. Priorities for research include using methodologically rigorous designs, developing programs for teachers with teachers (i.e. co-design), and considering implementation factors to ensure feasibility, acceptability, and uptake. Systematic Review Registration Number: PROPSERO - CRD42020159805.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10648-023-09720-w.

Mindfulness Initiatives for Students, Teachers, and Parents: a Review of Literature and Implications for Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond

The use of mindfulness in schools has greatly expanded over the past 10 years. Research has demonstrated positive psychological effects of mindfulness for students as well as teachers (Emerson et al., Mindfulness 8:1136-1149, 2017; Semple et al., Psychology in the Schools 54:29-52, 2017). Similarly, studies focusing on mindfulness interventions for parents of children with disabilities and/or psychosocial difficulties have also yielded a variety of positive outcomes, including reduced parenting stress, increases in quality of life, and improved parent-child interactions (Bögels et al., 2016; Rayan and Ahmad, Research in Developmental Disabilities 55:185-196, 2016). Although there has been a proliferation of mindfulness research, and mindfulness has become a buzzword in popular culture, it has not been systematically examined or applied as an approach to improving psychosocial functioning in children, school personnel, and families during COVID-19 and in online settings. This article provides a preliminary framework for this examination by reviewing relevant research and providing practical strategies and resources for school psychologists.

Trajectory of Teacher Well-Being Research between 1973 and 2021: Review Evidence from 49 Years in Asia

This review portrays a dynamic developmental trend in the teacher well-being literature in Asia between 1973 and 2021 using a descriptive quantitative analysis approach. A search of the Scopus database identified 168 journal articles across 46 countries and regions in Asia. This number of publications indicated a substantial change in the knowledge corpus, particularly during the pandemic, although overall production was still relatively low. Further results revealed diversity but an imbalance of research location, research type, research methods, data collection techniques, and research foci. A functionalist perspective may suggest that the knowledge base on teacher well-being is at a beginning stage. Recommendations for future research are proposed including cross-region collaborations, more developed research foci, using mixed-method approaches, high-quality qualitative research designs, innovative qualitative techniques, and diverse qualitative data collection techniques.

Effectiveness of interventions on the stress management of schoolteachers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

This systematic review aimed to analyse the effectiveness of interventions on the stress management of schoolteachers.

Methods

We searched the Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Education Research Complete until 30 November 2021, to identify relevant studies using relevant key words. Job or occupational stress was used as the outcome measure. Stress was defined as Perceived Stress Scale, Teacher Stress Inventory, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Teacher’s Distress, Brief Symptoms Inventory or Global Severity Index. Study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment was performed by two independent reviewers. The pooled estimate of the effect by the type of outcome measurement tool and by type of interventions used was calculated using random effects meta-analysis. We used Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation to assess the overall quality of the evidence.

Results

We reviewed 26 studies, of which 24 were randomised trials and 2 pre-test/post-test studies. Based on meta-analysis, a positive effect of intervention (pooled estimate −1.13, 95% CI −1.52 to −0.73) with high heterogeneity among studies (χ2=426.88, p<0.001, I2=94%) was found by type of interventions used. Cognitive–behavioural therapy had the strongest positive effect, followed by meditation among the types of interventions studied. We identified evidence of a moderate quality for interventions aiming to manage the stress level of schoolteachers.

Conclusions

The meta-analysis showed a positive effect of interventions, suggesting that interventions might reduce the stress level among teachers. The quality of the evidence was moderate.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42021225098