Mindfulness as an Intervention for Self-Regulation and School Reintegration in a Trauma-Informed Primary School Post COVID-19 Lockdown
Mindfulness August 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-024-02408-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Preregistered Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | A Year 4 group of children in a trauma-informed primary school, plus the school's Head of Pastoral and Wellbeing and the classroom teacher |
| Duration | 6-month period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors report that a creative mindfulness and guided visualisation intervention was followed by reductions in children's stress and anxiety and in emotional and cognitive dysregulation, increases in positive relationships, school reintegration, and attention on cognitive tasks, and zero exclusions over six months. They argue that creative, intrinsically motivated mindfulness meditation and guided visualisation support cognitive and emotional regulation and school success, and should be available to all children. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives The unprecedented global pandemic and enforced isolation have increased emotional, cognitive, and social dysregulation in children, exacerbated by an educational environment dominated by a recovery agenda focusing on academic outcomes and regular testing, which continues. The use of a creative, agentic mindfulness activity was employed to support school reintegration, self-regulation, positive relationships, and a reduction in exclusions.
Method: A case study of a Year 4 group of children over a 6-month period in a trauma-informed primary school explored a mindfulness and guided visualisation intervention in the form of a book entitled “My Magical Garden”. Semi-structured interviews with the Head of Pastoral and Wellbeing and the classroom teacher, along with a participative Zoom session with the children, and their poems and stories, were conducted and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis via a constructivist epistemology and experiential orientation to data interpretation.
Results: The intervention led to reductions in children’s stress and anxiety levels and decreases in emotional and cognitive dysregulation. The intervention also resulted in an increase in positive relationships and school reintegration, and increased attention on cognitive tasks. The class also experienced zero exclusions over this period.
Conclusions: Mindfulness meditation and guided visualisation techniques that are creative, and intrinsically motivated, support cognitive and emotional regulation and support social and school success. In view of the ongoing impact of the pandemic and lack of support for social and emotional wellbeing, particularly for children facing adversity, mindfulness meditation programmes in schools should be available to all children. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.