The Impact of a Mindfulness- and Compassion-Based Intervention on Stress, Burnout, and Psychological Well-Being Among Arab Teachers in Israel: A Longitudinal Study
preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9441671/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental longitudinal design |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 142 |
| Population | Teachers in the Arab education system in Israel |
| Intervention | Mindfulness- and compassion-based professional development program |
| Duration | Six-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Participation in the program was associated with reductions in perceived stress and burnout and increases in mindfulness, interpersonal mindfulness in teaching, self-compassion, and empathy, with no effects on anxiety, job satisfaction, or the non-judging facet of mindfulness. |
Abstract
Abstract This study examined a mindfulness- and compassion-based professional development program in the Arab education system in Israel, using a quasi-experimental longitudinal design. Teachers in an intervention ( n = 111) and a comparison group ( n = 31) completed questionnaires at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up. Participation in the program was associated with reductions in perceived stress and burnout and increases in overall mindfulness (observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-reactivity), interpersonal mindfulness in teaching, self-compassion, and empathy. No intervention-related effects were found for anxiety, job satisfaction, or the non-judging facet of mindfulness. Analyses of covariance controlling for baseline differences supported the robustness of the findings. Overall, mindfulness- and compassion-based interventions may strengthen multiple aspects of teacher well-being and professional functioning in a collectivistic cultural context, supporting the cultural adaptability and potential scalability of such programs within educational systems.