Cultivating Mindfulness in Music Teaching: Introducing the ARTfulness Program for the Professional Development of Instrumental and Vocal Teachers
Miguel Barata‐Gonçalves, Carlos Carona, Luís Pires, Margarida Pedroso de Lima, Albertina Lima de Oliveira
August 27, 2025 DOI: 10.35542/osf.io/8z7nj_v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Non-randomized, mixed-methods feasibility study Qualitative |
|---|---|
| Population | One-to-one instrumental and vocal music teachers |
| Dose | four weekly 90-minute sessions with guided home practice |
| Duration | Four weeks (intervention), with post-program interviews |
| Measures | mindfulness in teaching, dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Instrumental music Professional development Vocal music Pedagogy Mathematics education Medical education Music education Visual arts Psychotherapist |
| Key points | This is a protocol paper; no results are reported. The study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary impact of the ARTfulness program, which integrates mindfulness and compassion practices, on teacher well-being and professional practice. |
Abstract
One-to-one instrumental and vocal music teachers face distinctive pedagogical andemotional challenges that may affect well-being, professional satisfaction, and teachingquality. The ARTfulness program was developed to integrate evidence-based mindfulnessand compassion practices, addressing intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions ofteaching. This protocol describes a non-randomized, mixed-methods feasibility study.The program comprises four weekly 90-minute online sessions with guided homepractice. Feasibility will be assessed across eight dimensions (acceptability, demand,implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration, expansion, and limited-efficacytesting). Quantitative measures include mindfulness in teaching, dispositionalmindfulness, and self-compassion. Qualitative data will be collected from questionnaires,session inquiry transcripts, and post-program interviews and analyzed using reflexivethematic analysis. The study aims to evaluate recruitment, retention, adherence, andpreliminary impact, informing program refinement, outcome measures, and the design offuture trials. ARTfulness seeks to enhance teacher well-being and professional practicewhile advancing methodological rigor in educational mindfulness-based interventions.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |