Qualitative exploration of a targeted school-based mindfulness course in England.
Grant J McGeechan, Catherine Richardson, Lynn Wilson, Keith Allan, Dorothy Newbury-Birch
Child and Adolescent Mental Health May 2019 DOI: 10.1111/camh.12288 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Young people who took part in a 10-week school-based mindfulness course, plus three teaching staff who delivered it |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based training |
| Duration | 10-week course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Coping Mental health Qualitative methods School children |
| Key findings | Young people reported learning coping skills and positive behavioural changes from a 10-week school-based mindfulness course, despite initial reluctance, and felt better equipped to handle stress. However, the targeted approach could lead to stigmatisation by peers, and teaching staff identified barriers to long-term implementation. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based training has been shown to provide benefits for adults with numerous conditions such as cancer, chronic pain, and depression. However, less is known about its impact for young people. Early adolescence (typically 10-14 years) is a time fraught with challenges such as cognitive changes, social, and academic pressures in the form of exams, all of which can provoke anxiety. While there is a lack of effectiveness studies, there is growing interest in the potential for school-based mindfulness programmes to help young people cope with the pressures of modern life. This study outlines a qualitative exploration of a school-based targeted mindfulness course. We interviewed 16 young people who had taken part in a 10-week mindfulness course, and held a focus group with three members of teaching staff who delivered the programme. Interviews and focus groups were analysed using applied thematic analysis. While young people felt that they had to take part, once they started the programme they enjoyed it. Young people felt that they learned a range of coping skills, and it had a positive impact on their behaviour. However, the targeted approach of the intervention could lead to young people being stigmatised by their peers. Teaching staff could see the potential benefit of mindfulness courses in schools but felt there were some barriers to be overcome if it were to be implemented in the long term. Young people were willing to engage in mindful practice and felt it better equipped them to deal with stressful situations.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Mindfulness training increases momentary positive emotions and reward experience in adults vulnerable to depression: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology July 18, 2011
- A Qualitative Exploration of Implementation Factors in a School-Based Mindfulness and Yoga Program: Lessons Learned from Students and Teachers. Psychology in the Schools November 28, 2016
- Randomized controlled pilot study of mindfulness-based stress reduction for persistently fatigued cancer survivors. Psycho-Oncology August 17, 2014
- Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2014
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for patients with anxiety disorders: evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy January 27, 2011
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