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Mindfulness Extended Into Mind-Management

Caroline Leaf, René M. Paulson, G. Z. Lynch

International Journal of Teacher Education and Professional Development June 24, 2025 DOI: 10.4018/ijtepd.383086 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Longitudinal Peer reviewed
Sample size 79
Population Education professionals in K-12 schools
Duration Six sessions
Topics Meditation
Keywords Education
Key findings A six-session Neurocycle® professional development program for 79 education professionals was followed by improvements in autonomy, awareness, and empowerment and reductions in stress, anxiety, and perceived barriers, with overwhelmingly positive participant evaluations. The authors interpret these results as indicating the practice's efficacy in promoting mental health for educators.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of education professionals and students, necessitating strategies for managing stress and promoting well-being in K-12 schools. Mindfulness has emerged as a promising approach due to its ease of implementation and proven benefits. However, challenges like mixed results, time-consuming programs, and lack of assessment tools have led to the need for tailored interventions. This study introduced school professionals to the Neurocycle®, a guided mindfulness practice and assessment tool. A six-session professional development program with 79 education professionals resulted in significant improvements in autonomy, awareness, and empowerment, and reductions in stress, anxiety, and perceived barriers. Participants reported overwhelmingly positive evaluations, indicating the Neurocycle®'s efficacy in promoting mental health for educators. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies, classroom outcome correlations, and addressing participants' needs.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

Citations in the library

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