Exploring the mechanisms in which a digital mindfulness-based intervention can help reduce stress and burnout among teachers

Abstract

Stress among teachers remains a concern for education researchers in the UK. Figures from the Health and Safety Executive indicate that teaching is among the most stressful profession in the UK. Interventions that promote teachers’ emotional well-being factors have grown in popularity. Specifically, interventions that develop teacher self efficacy. Chapter one presents a systematic review of the existing body of literature to examine the effectiveness of such interventions, and their subsequent impact on student achievement. There were examples from the literature that demonstrated teacher self efficacy and student achievement can be improved by teacher interventions and professional development programmes. However, some studies failed to report improvements to teacher self-efficacy and student achievement. The findings are discussed in relation to their methodological limitations and their conceptual basis.

The empirical paper in chapter two presents a randomised controlled trial that examines the mechanism in which a digital mindfulness-based intervention can reduce stress and burnout among teachers. In-service teachers (N = 125) across England and Wales were randomly allocated to a digital-based mindfulness intervention condition (Headspace) or a wait-list control condition. Headspace is a commercially available mindfulness app that teaches users mindfulness and mediation techniques. Measures of teaching anxiety, burnout, mindfulness, teacher self-efficacy, self-compassion, and positive and negative affect were collected at baseline, at 1-month follow-up, and 2-month followup. There was a significant interaction effect between teachers in the Headspace condition and time for teaching anxiety and teacher burnout. Results demonstrated there was high attrition among participants and considerable variation in intervention engagement. Mediational path analysis did not identify any significant casual links between changes to mindfulness, teacher well-being factors, and classroom outcomes. These findings address gaps in the literature and extend previous findings. Future directions for research and implications for practice are discussed.

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ORCID for Ben Ainsworth: orcid.org/0000-0002-5098-1092

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