Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T14:20:57.318Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

‘Making space’: a study into the use of mindfulness for alternative school teachers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 April 2019

Kim Preston*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rebecca Spooner-Lane
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

As teachers seek to educate and transform lives, often with limited resources and time, they can experience varying levels of stress and emotional exhaustion, particularly if effective emotion regulation strategies are not employed. The experience of teacher stress may be heightened in alternative schools that provide educational opportunities for students who present with complex needs and are ‘at-risk’ of withdrawing from the conventional school system. This case study explored the perceived outcomes of a 6-week school-based mindfulness program to manage stress and support the emotion regulation of four teachers at a metropolitan Australian alternative school. The study took a mixed-methods approach to data collection, which included self-report questionnaires, interview responses and journal reflections. A number of limitations, such as small sample size and lack of experimental design, had an impact on the generalisability of the study’s findings. However, a range of beneficial outcomes emerged in association with the mindfulness program, revealing that participants experienced increased levels of both mindfulness and emotion regulation ability, in conjunction with decreased stress and emotional exhaustion levels.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, V. L., Levinson, E. M., Barker, W., & Kiewra, K. R. (1999). The effects of meditation on teacher perceived occupational stress, state and trait anxiety, and burnout. School Psychology Quarterly, 14, 325. doi: 10.1037/h0088995 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Australian Industry Group & Dusseldorp Skills Forum. (2007). It’s crunch time. Raising youth engagement and attainment. Sydney, Australia: Dusseldorp Skills Forum. Retrieved from http://dusseldorp.org.au/resource/its-crunch-time/ Google Scholar
Baer, R. A. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10, 125143. doi: 10.1093/clipsy/bpg015 Google Scholar
Baer, R. A. (2014). Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Retrieved from https://goamra.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FFMQ_full.pdf Google Scholar
Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13, 2745. doi: 10.1177/1073191105283504 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Lykins, E., Button, D., Krietemeyer, J., Sauer, S., … Williams, J. M. G. (2008). Construct validity of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in meditating and non-meditating samples. Assessment, 15, 329342. doi: 10.1177/1073191107313003 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benn, R., Akiva, T., Arel, S., & Roeser, R. W. (2012). Mindfulness training effects for parents and educators of children with special needs. Developmental Psychology, 48, 14761487. doi: 10.1037/a0027537 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bernay, R. S. (2014). Mindfulness and the beginning teacher. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39, 5769. doi: 10.14221/ajte.2014v39n7.6 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berry, B., & Center for Teaching Quality. (2007). Recruiting and retaining quality teachers for high-needs schools: Insights from NBCT summits and other policy initiatives. Carrboro, NC: Center for Teaching Quality.Google Scholar
Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., … Devins, G. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11, 230241. doi: 10.1093/clipsy/bph077 Google Scholar
Brackett, M. A., Palomera, R., Kaja, J. M., Reyes, M. R., & Salovey, P. (2010). Emotion regulation ability, burnout, and job satisfaction among British secondary school teachers. Psychology in the Schools, 47, 406417. doi: 10.1002/pits.20478 Google Scholar
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822848. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.822 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundations and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Enquiry, 18, 211237. doi: 10.1080/10478400701598298 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cancio, E. J., & Conderman, G. (2008). Promoting longevity: Strategies for teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Beyond Behavior, 17, 3036.Google Scholar
Chan, D. W. (2006). Emotional intelligence and components of burnout amongst Chinese secondary school teachers in Hong Kong. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 10421054. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2006.04.005 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chang, M.-L. (2013). Toward a theoretical model to understand teacher emotions and teacher burnout in the context of student misbehavior: Appraisal, regulation, and coping. Motivation and Emotion, 37, 799817. doi: 10.1007/s11031-012-9335-0 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chiesa, A., Serretti, A., & Jakobsen, J. C. (2013). Mindfulness: Top-down or bottom-up emotion regulation strategy? Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 8296. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2012.10.006 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Crain, T. L., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Roeser, R. W. (2017). Cultivating teacher mindfulness: Effects of a randomized controlled trial on work, home and sleep outcomes. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22, 138152. doi: 10.1037/ocp0000043 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Darling-Hammond, L. (2001). Constructing 21st-century teacher education. Journal of Teacher Education, 57, 115. doi: 10.1177/0022476105285962 Google Scholar
De Jong, T., & Griffiths, C. (2006). The role of alternative education programs in meeting the needs of adolescent students with challenging behaviour: Characteristics of best practice. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 16, 2940. doi: 10.1375/ajgc.16.1.29 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dyson, M., & Plunkett, M. (2012). Alternative settings — Alternative teachers? Reflections on teaching outside the mainstream. In Joint AARE APERA International Conference. Sydney, Australia: AARE/APERA.Google Scholar
Emerson, L.-M., Leyland, A., Hudson, K., Rowse, G., Hanley, P., & High-Jones, S. (2017). Teaching mindfulness to teachers: A systematic review and narrative synthesis. Mindfulness, 8, 11361149. doi: 10.1007/s12671-017-0691-4 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EREA. (2016a). Flexible learning centre information brochure. Brisbane, Australia: Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA).Google Scholar
EREA. (2016b). Foundation statement. Brisbane, Australia: EREA. Retrieved from http://www.youthplus.edu.au/about-us/foundation-statement.html Google Scholar
Farb, N. A. S., Anderson, A. K., Irving, J. A., & Segal, Z. V. (2013). Mindfulness interventions and emotion regulation. In Gross, J. J. (Ed.), Handbook of emotion regulation (2nd ed., pp. 548567). New York, NY: Guilford Publications.Google Scholar
Flook, L., Goldberg, S. B., Pinger, L., Bonus, K., & Davidson, R. J. (2013). Mindfulness for teachers: A pilot study to assess effects on stress, burnout and teaching efficacy. Mind Brain and Education, 7, 122. doi: 10.1111/mbe.12026 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frank, J. L., Reibel, D., Broderick, P., Cantrell, T., & Metz, S. (2015). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction on educator stress and well-being: Results from a pilot study. Mindfulness, 6, 208216. doi: 10.1007/s12671-013-0246-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fresco, D. M., Moore, M. T., van Dulmen, M. H., Segal, Z. V., Ma, S. H., Teasdale, J. D., & Williams, J. M. (2007). Initial psychometric properties of the Experiences questionnaire: Validation of a self-report measure of decentering. Behavior Therapy, 38, 234246. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2006.08.003 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Füstös, J., Gramann, K., Herbert, B. M., & Pollatos, O. (2013). On the embodiment of emotion regulation: Interoceptive awareness facilitates reappraisal. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 8, 911917. doi: 10.1093/scan/nss089 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garland, E. L., Gaylord, S. A., & Frederickson, B. L. (2011). Positive reappraisal coping mediates the stress-reductive effect of mindfulness: An upward spiral process. Mindfulness, 2, 5967. doi: 10.1007/s12671-011-0043-8 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Garrison Institute. (2014). Database of programmes. Retrieved from http://www.garrisoninstitute.org/contemplation-and-education/article-database Google Scholar
Gold, E., Smith, A., Hopper, I., Herne, D., Tansey, G., & Hulland, C. (2010). Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for primary school teachers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19, 184189. doi: 10.1007/s10826-009-9344-0 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gross, J. J. (1998a). Antecedent- and response-focused emotion regulation: Divergent consequences for experience, expression, and physiology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 224237. doi: 10.1037//0022-3414.74.1.224 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gross, J. J. (1998b). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2, 271299. doi: 10.1037/1089-2680.2.3.271 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26, 126. doi: 10.1080/1047840x.2014.940781 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gross, J. J., & John, O. P. (2003). Individual differences in two emotion regulation processes: Implications for affect, relationships, and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 348362. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.85.2.348 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grossman, P. (2008). On measuring mindfulness in psychosomatic and psychological research. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 64, 405408. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2008.02.001 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Henry, J. D., & Crawford, J. R. (2005). The short-form version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): Construct validity and normative data in a large non-clinical sample. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44, 227239. doi: 10.1348/014466505X29657 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holzel, B. K., Lazar, S. W., Gard, T., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Vago, D., & Ott, U. (2011). How does mindfulness meditation work? Proposing mechanisms of action from a conceptual and neural perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6, 537–339. doi: 10.1177/1745691611419671 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hosotani, R., & Imai-Matsumura, K. (2011). Emotional experience, expression, and regulation of high-quality Japanese elementary school teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 10391048. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2011.03.010 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hulsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J. E. M., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. B. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98, 310325. doi: 10.1037/90031313 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ioannidis, C. A., & Siegling, A. B. (2015). Criterion and incremental validity of the emotion regulation questionnaire. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 110. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00247 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jennings, P. A., Frank, J. L., Snowberg, K., Coccia, M., & Greenberg, M. T. (2013). Improving classroom learning environments by Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): Results of a randomized controlled trial. School Psychology Quarterly, 28, 374390. doi: 10.1037/spq0000035 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jennings, P. A. & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: Teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79, 491525. doi: 10.3102/0034654308325693 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jennings, P. A., Lantieri, L., & Roeser, R. W. (2012). Supporting educational goals through cultivating mindfulness: Approaches for teachers and students. In Brown, P. M., Corrigan, M. W., & Higgins-D’Alessandro, A. (Eds.), Handbook of prosocial education (pp. 371397). Lanham, MD: Rowan & Littlefield.Google Scholar
Jennings, P. A., Snowberg, K. E., Coccia, M. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2011). Improving classroom learning environments by Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): Results of two pilot studies. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 46, 3748.Google Scholar
Johnson, S., Cooper, C., Cartwright, S., Donald, I., Taylor, P., & Millet, C. (2005). The experience of work-related stress across occupations. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 20, 178187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. New York, NY: Dell.Google Scholar
Koeske, G. F., & Koeske, R. D. (1989). Construct validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory: A critical review and reconceptualization. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 25, 131144. doi: 10.1177/0021886389252004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kyriacou, C. (2001). Teacher stress: Directions for future research. Educational Review, 53, 2735. doi: 10.1080/00131910124115 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York, NY: Springer.Google Scholar
Lehr, C. A., & Lange, C. M. (2003). Alternative schools and the students they serve: Perceptions of state directors of special education. Policy Research Brief, 14, 111.Google Scholar
Lehr, C. A., Moreau, R. A., Lange, C. M., & Lanners, E. J. (2004). Alternative schools. Findings from a national survey of the states (Report No. 2). Minneapolis, MN: Institute on Community Integration.Google Scholar
Lehr, C. A., Tan, C. S., & Ysseldyke, J. (2009). Alternative schools: A synthesis of state-level policy and research. Remedial and Special Education, 30, 1932. doi: 10.1177/0741932508315645 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lomas, T., Medina, J. C., Ivtzan, I., Rupprecht, S., & Eiroa-Orosa, F. J. (2017). The impact of mindfulness on the wellbeing and performance of educators: A systematic review of the literature. Teaching and Teacher Education, 61, 132141. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2016.10.008 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lovibond, P., & Camilleri, L. (2014, November 10). Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Retrieved from http://www2.psy.unsw.edu.au/dass/ Google Scholar
Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995) Manual for the depression anxiety stress scale (2nd ed.). Sydney, Australia: UNSW School of Psychology.Google Scholar
Maslach, C., & Jackson, S. E. (1981). The measurement of experienced burnout. Journal of Occupational Behavior, 2, 99113. doi: 10.1002/job.4030020203 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (1996) Maslach Burnout Inventory manual (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: CPP.Google Scholar
Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., Leiter, M. P., Schaufeli, W. B., & Schwab, R. L. (2015). Maslach Burnout Inventory. Menlo Park, CA: Mind Garden Inc. Retrieved from http://www.mindgarden.com/117-maslach-burnout-inventory Google Scholar
McGregor, G., & Mills, M. (2012). Alternative education sites and marginalised young people: ‘I wish there were more schools like this one’. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 16, 843862. doi: 10.1080/13603116.2010.529467 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Montgomery, C., & Rupp, A. (2005). A meta-analysis for exploring the diverse causes and effects of stress in teachers. Canadian Journal of Education, 28, 458486. doi: 10.2307/4126479 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morgan, A. (2013). Different ways of being educator: A sociocultural exploration of educator identity and development in practice, in a system of non-traditional flexi schools (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.Google Scholar
Pietarinen, J., Pyhältö, K., Soini, T., & Salmela-Aro, K. (2013) Reducing teacher burnout: A socio-contextual approach. Teaching and Teacher Education, 35, 6272. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2013.05.003 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Poulin, P. A. (2009). Mindfulness-based wellness education: A longitudinal evaluation with students in initial teacher education (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Precey, M. (2015, March 17). Teacher stress levels in England ‘soaring’ data shows. BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-31921457 Google Scholar
Roeser, R. W., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Jha, A., Cullen, M., Wallace, L., Wilensky, R., … Harrison, J. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout: Results from two randomized, waitlist-control field trials. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105, 787804. doi: 10.1037/a0032093 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Safe Work Australia. (2015). Work-related mental disorders profile. Canberra, Australia: Author. Retrieved from https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1702/work-related-mental-disorders-profile.pdf Google Scholar
Schussler, D. L., Jennings, P. A., Sharp, J. E., & Frank, J. L. (2016). Improving teacher awareness and well-being through CARE: A qualitative analysis of the underlying mechanisms. Mindfulness, 7, 130142. doi: 10.1007/s12671-015-0422-7 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Segal, Z. V., Teasdale, J. D., & Williams, J. M. G. (2004). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: Theoretical rationale and empirical status. In Hayes, S, Follette, V., & Linehan, M. (Eds.), Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition. New York, NY: The Guildford Press.Google Scholar
Shapiro, S. L., Carlson, L. E., Astin, J. A., & Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62, 373386. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20237 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sharp, J. E., & Jennings, P. A. (2016). Strengthening teacher presence through mindfulness: What educators say about the Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE) program. Mindfulness, 7, 209218. doi: 10.1007/s12671-015-0474-8 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharplin, E., O’Neill, M., & Chapman, A. (2011). Coping strategies for adaptation to new teacher appointments: Intervention for retention. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27, 136146. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2010.07.010 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shay, M. (2013). Practices of alternative schools in Queensland in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to remain engaged in education (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.Google Scholar
Siegling, A. B., & Petrides, K. V. (2014). Measure of trait mindfulness: Convergent validity, shared dimensionality, and linkages to the five-factor model. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 18. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014/01164 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Singh, N. N., Lancioni, G. E., Winton, A. S. W., Karazsia, B. T., & Singh, J. (2013). Mindfulness training for teachers changes the behavior of their preschool students. Research in Human Development, 10, 211233. doi: 10.1080/15427609.2013.818484 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soloway, G. B. (2011). Preparing teacher candidates for the present: Exploring the praxis of mindfulness training in teacher education (Doctoral dissertation). University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.Google Scholar
Swars, S. L., Meyers, B., Mays, L. C., & Lack, B. (2009). A two-dimensional model of teacher retention and mobility: Classroom teachers and their university partners take a closer look at a vexing problem. Journal of Teacher Education, 60, 168183. doi: 10.1177/0022487108329116 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, C., Harrison, J., Haimovitz, K., Oberle, E., Thomson, K., Schonert-Reichl, K., & Roeser, R. W. (2016). Examining ways that a mindfulness-based intervention reduces stress in public school teachers: A mixed methods study. Mindfulness, 7, 115129. doi: 10.1007/s12671-015-0425-4 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
te Riele, K. (2007). Educational alternatives for marginalised youth. Australian Educational Researcher, 34, 5368. doi: 10.1007/bf03216865 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
te Riele, K. (2012). Learning choices: A map for the future. Dusseldorp Skills Forum. Retrieved from http://www.ntyan.com.au/images/uploads/news_docs/20120427_Learning_Choices_Map-for-the-Future_final.pdf Google Scholar
te Riele, K. (2014). Putting the jigsaw together: Flexible learning programs in Australia: Final report. Melbourne, Australia: The Victoria Institute.Google Scholar
Tsouloupas, C. N., Carson, R. L., Matthews, R., Grawitch, M. J., & Barber, L. K. (2010). Exploring the association between teachers’ perceived student misbehaviour and emotional exhaustion: The importance of teacher efficacy beliefs and emotion regulation. Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology, 30, 173189. doi: 10.1080/01443410903494460 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
U.K. Network of Mindfulness-Based Teacher Trainers. (2011, November). Guidelines. Retrieved from www.mindfulnessteachersuk.org.uk Google Scholar
Van Dam, N. T., Earleywine, M., & Danoff-Burg, S. (2009). Differential item function across meditators and non-meditators on the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 47, 516521. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2009.05.005 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vogt, P. W. (Ed.). (2005). Social desirability bias. In Dictionary of statistics & methodology (3rd ed., p. 301). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412983907.n1826 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weinstein, N., Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 43, 374385. doi: 10.1016/j.jrp.2008.12.008 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, K., Stemp, K., & McGinty, S. (2011). Re-engaging young people with education and training. What are the alternatives? Youth Studies Australia, 30, 3239.Google Scholar
Winzelberg, A. J., & Luskin, F. M. (1999). The effect of a meditation training in stress levels in secondary school teachers. Stress Medicine, 15, 6977. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1700(199904)15:2<69::aid-smi787>3.0.co;2-w 3.0.CO;2-W>CrossRefGoogle Scholar