Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Occupational Stress and Quality of Work Life among Secondary School Teachers: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Abstract The study aimed to examine the effect of mindfulness practice on occupational stress and quality of work life among secondary school teachers in Bangalore city. A pre-test post-test control group design was used and participants were assigned to experimental (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). Participants completed the Occupational Stress Index (OSI) and Work-Related Quality of Life (WRQoL) scales, at baseline and post-intervention. The experimental group received Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Intervention, it was an 8 week intervention and each session lasted for 45 minutes, while control group did not receive any intervention. The Gain scores of the experimental and control groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. Results showed that teachers in the experimental group had significantly lower occupational stress and higher quality of work life to the control group. The findings suggested importance of mental health promotion in schools and at workplaces.