The mindful professor: the impacts of an innovative mindfulness training intervention for college faculty.
Rebecca Block, Lisa Critchley, Annetta Snell, Caitlin Davie, Ralph Manchester
Journal of American College Health May 22, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2503835 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Wait-list control trial Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 41 |
| Population | University faculty members |
| Intervention | Mindful leadership training program |
| Duration | 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | College mental health Mindful leadership Faculty training University faculty education Intervention Student well-being Self-awareness Emotional regulation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Mindful leadership training increased faculty mindfulness by 13.27% and improved self-awareness, emotional regulation, and communication with students. |
Abstract
Objective: To examine the impact of a mindful leadership training program on faculty well-being, mindfulness, and their ability to support student mental health.
Participants: Forty-one university faculty members participated in a wait-list control trial.
Methods: Surveys assessing mindfulness, stress, self-compassion, support, and beliefs about student well-being were administered at baseline, post-program, and 3-month follow-up. Focus groups were held at completion.
Results: Faculty in the intervention group showed a 13.27% increase in mindfulness, compared to 3.13% in the control group. Participants reported greater presence, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and improved communication with students. They adopted more mindfulness practices and discussed student well-being more often. Qualitative data echoed these outcomes.
Conclusions: Mindful leadership training may enhance faculty mindfulness, emotional regulation, and student support capacity. Further research is needed to explore long-term impacts and broader implementation in higher education.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- The impact of mindfulness on well-being and performance in the workplace: an inclusive systematic review of the empirical literature European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology April 19, 2017
- The integration of meditation into higher education: a systematic literature review. Journal of American College Health January 15, 2025
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for elementary school teachers: a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Education April 9, 2024
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being November 19, 2019
- What outcomes have mindfulness and meditation interventions for managers and leaders achieved? A systematic review European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology November 14, 2018
and 2 more in the library