Mindfulness, teacher mental health, and well-being in early education: a correlational study.
Carolina Corthorn, Víctor Pedrero, Natalia Torres, Katiuska Reynaldos-Grandón, Paola Paredes
BMC Psychology August 6, 2024 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01930-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study with mediation analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Preschool teachers |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Preschool teachers Quality of life Well-being |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and its facets are positively associated with quality of life and negatively associated with burnout, stress, anxiety, and depression among preschool teachers. |
Abstract
This study analyzed the relationship between mindfulness and variables considered relevant for teacher-student interactions: teacher burnout, general stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. We hypothesized that mindfulness would relate negatively with mental health variables and positively with quality of life. We also explored which specific aspects of mindfulness would predict burnout, depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life. Given the results of regression analyses, mediation models were performed to explore the mechanisms through which different facets of mindfulness affect quality of life. As predicted, the correlation analysis showed that mindfulness and its dimensions were positively associated with the quality of life of the teachers and burnout dimension of personal fulfillment and negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and stress (considering FFMQ total score and most of its dimensions). Consistently, regression analysis showed that the overall level of mindfulness, after controlling for the grade level at which the teacher works, showed significant associations with the level of personal fulfillment, depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life. The results of the mediation analyses showed that the ability not to judge ourselves was associated with fewer symptoms of depression and stress and, through these pathways, positively affected quality of life. On the other hand, the ability not to react favored quality of life by reducing anxiety and stress. Finally, acting with awareness was the only facet of mindfulness that favored quality of life, affecting one of the dimensions of burnout.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Mindfulness as a buffer against job burnout and teaching motivation decline in academia Mental Wellness February 19, 2026
- Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, and Achievement Goal Orientations in Teacher Education Uluslararası Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi November 29, 2025
- The Mediating Role of Empathy in the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Well-Being Among Special Education Teachers: Implications for Occupational Mental Health. Healthcare August 4, 2026
- A pilot study on integrating mindfulness-informed professional development for EFL teachers. Frontiers in Psychology June 11, 2026
- Does mindfulness matter on employee outcomes? Exploring its effects via perceived stress. BMC Psychology March 24, 2025
Cites 17
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
and 12 more in the library