Mindfulness influence on psychological wellbeing: in search of cultural adaptations.
Reut Paz, Nitza Davidovitch
Frontiers in Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1550949 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Orthodox Jewish teachers and principals from state religious schools in Israel |
| Intervention | mindfulness program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cultural adaptations Cultural sensitivity Identity and resilience Psychological wellbeing Quality of life Teachers Mindfulness-education Teacher-wellbeing Psychological-resilience Cultural-sensitivity-religion Orthodox-jewish-adaptations |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training and trait mindfulness are associated with increased psychological well-being and resilience among Orthodox Jewish teachers, with ultra-Orthodox teachers reporting higher stress than national religious teachers. |
Abstract
In the last decade, mindfulness-based programs have been assimilated among educational staff to cultivate socio-emotional skills and mental resilience. Most mindfulness programs use generic international models, omitting explicit acknowledgement of cultural and ethnic differences. Recent research highlights the importance of considering participants' identities and diverse cultural and religious needs. The first aim of the current study is to explore whether mindfulness affects psychological well-being among Orthodox Jewish teachers. Additionally, the study examined the relationship between mindfulness as a personality trait and psychological well-being and resilience among Orthodox Jewish teachers. The second aim is to examine whether there is a tension in practicing mindfulness among participants who are Orthodox educators, and whether there is a need for cultural adaptations for religious populations to increase the effectiveness of the program. The participants in this pioneer study were Orthodox teachers and principals from state religious schools who participated in the mindfulness program. The questionnaires were distributed among Orthodox teachers to characterize the group on several measures related to psychological well-being and resilience, as well as on measures of religiosity, to clarify whether there is an association between deep-rooted religious foundations and perceived mental resilience. The research findings indicate that trait mindfulness and mindfulness training are related to increased psychological well-being and resilience. Trait mindfulness was significantly negatively associated with perceived stress. The study also showed that ultra-Orthodox teachers reported a higher sense of stress than did national religious teachers. It is evident from the current study that mindfulness qualities may support resilience and psychological well-being among Orthodox educators, whereupon it is important to nurture these qualities among them via mindfulness-based professional development. Moreover, it is evident from the study that to increase the efficacy of these programs, it is necessary to be aware of the participants' ethnic, religious, and cultural features.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Conceptualizing and Measuring Mindfulness in School Settings: A Mixed Methods Study and Development of Mindfulness in School Scale Journal of Intelligence September 1, 2026
- The Need for Mindfulness in the Arab-Bedouin Community in Israel: Recommendations for Cultural and Context-Informed Adaptations Mindfulness October 17, 2025
Cites 15
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- 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
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
and 10 more in the library