Individual-Level Interventions: Mindfulness-Based Approaches to Reducing Stress and Improving Performance Among Teachers

Abstract

This chapter reviews the extant literature on mindfulness-based interventions applied to reducing teachers' occupational stress and improving job performance , demonstrating the evolution of the field over the past 20 years from very small pilot studies to a recently conducted large cluster randomized controlled trial. The term "mindfulness" refers to a particular kind of attention characterized by intentionally focusing on the present moment with a non-judgmental attitude and is cultivated by engaging in mindful awareness practices. Research on the effects of mindfulness training with adults has shown numerous positive effects including reduced stress and increased self-awareness, empathy, and emotion regulation. The chapter reviews the research on mindfulness-based interventions more broadly, focusing on research involving non-clinical samples and work-related outcomes. The chapter provides an overview of early research on mindfulness-based interventions for teachers and an in-depth discussion and review of the associated research of two widely used mindfulness-based programs for teachers, Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques in Education (SMART) and Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE for Teachers). The chapter concludes with a discussion of the limitations of the reviewed research and recommendations for future research that will address gaps in the literature.