A Consideration of Transpersonal Research Methods for Studying Yoga and Mindfulness in Schools
October 31, 2022 DOI: 10.24972/ijts.2021.40.2.31 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Qualitative |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Transpersonal psychology Psychological intervention Psychotherapist Intervention counseling Applied psychology Clinical psychology |
| Key points | Proposes that transpersonal research methods, combined with traditional quantitative and qualitative approaches, could enrich the evaluation of school-based yoga and mindfulness interventions. |
Abstract
Over the past decade, interest in yoga and mindfulness in schools has grown tremendously, with preliminary research suggesting that these interventions may have a variety of positive effects on youth. However, some quantitative studies of school-based yoga and mindfulness have reported null and/or counterintuitive effects, such as increases in perceived stress, negative affect and psychological symptoms. In addition, some mixed-methods studies that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches have found inconsistent results, with the quantitative outcomes failing to show statistical significance, while students report benefits of yoga and mindfulness in qualitative interviews/focus groups. These inconsistent findings suggest that the field of school-based yoga and mindfulness may benefit from a consideration of additional research approaches, such as transpersonal research methods, to study the potential effects of these interventions. Transpersonal research methods were developed within the field of transpersonal psychology as an alternative approach to studying the nature of inner experiences, particularly transpersonal and spiritual experiences. The current paper re-envisions a previously published study of a school-based yoga intervention through the lens of transpersonal research methods, with the intention of providing researchers with examples and inspiration to enrich their studies of school-based yoga and mindfulness. By combining transpersonal research methods with traditional quantitative and qualitative approaches, scientists have the potential to provide a richer and more complex evaluation of yoga and mindfulness in schools.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students Journal of Applied School Psychology July 6, 2005
- Transpersonal Psychology as a Scientific Field International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 2002
- The Buddhist roots of mindfulness training: a practitioners view Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Toward a postmaterialist psychology: Theory, research, and applications New Ideas in Psychology March 2, 2018
- Transformative research methods: Research to nourish the spirit Journal for the Study of Spirituality January 2, 2020
and 6 more in the library