Rural sixth-grade teachers' and students' perceptions of a mindfulness-based mental health curriculum.
Austin Folger, Akhila Nekkanti, Gina Williamson, Claire Guidinger, Nichole R Kelly
Frontiers in Psychology 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1277614 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 160 |
| Population | 6th grade students at a rural middle school in the Pacific Northwest, along with three P.E. teachers, 26 6th grade teachers, and one school counselor |
| Interventions | AttuneEd® a trauma-informed mindfulness-based mental health curriculum |
| Duration | 10 weekly lessons |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Acceptability Feasibility Rural Students |
| Key findings | Students rated the AttuneEd® mindfulness curriculum as highly acceptable, reporting on average that it helped them better understand themselves and others. Qualitative analysis identified three themes—cultural considerations, teacher self-efficacy, and barriers and facilitators to student acceptability—and pointed to needs for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed delivery, more support for teachers delivering content, and having students' own teachers teach the curriculum. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have the potential to improve students' mood, behavior and cognitive functioning; yet, little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of adapting such programs for rural middle schools. An exploratory qualitative evaluation was conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an initial trial delivery of AttuneEd®, a trauma-informed, mindfulness-based mental health curriculum. In this single-group design study, 10 weekly lessons were taught in a middle school located in a rural town in the pacific northwest during 6th grade students' P.E. classes. Three P.E. teachers, 26 6th grade teachers, and one school counselor attended trainings before and mid-curriculum implementation, where they provided qualitative feedback. A total of 160 students completed acceptability surveys before and after curriculum delivery. Three themes were identified from qualitative data: cultural considerations, teacher self-efficacy, and barriers and facilitators to student acceptability. Student acceptability ratings were high. Students reported, on average, that the classes helped them better understand themselves and others. Some identified needs for future MBIs include (1) the need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed delivery strategies; (2) teachers' desire for more support in content delivery; and (3) students' desire to have their own teachers deliver the curriculum. Findings elucidate the nuances associated with implementing an MBI in a rural middle school and have notable implications for development, scalability, and sustainability.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 15
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- A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014
- Benefits of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention upon School Entry: A Pilot Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health November 30, 2021
and 10 more in the library