Mindfulness Practices to Improve Stress Management in the Secondary Classroom

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2018-05

Department

Program

Masters of Education

Citation of Original Publication

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain insight about how mindfulness practices and information sessions about stress management affected self-reported stress levels of adolescent high school students. This study was intended to provide insight into how participants reacted to self awareness practices and stress management strategies that relied on their metacognitive abilities. As anticipated, student participants reported high levels of stress due to various factors, including planning for college. Many students reportedly found the mindfulness practices and information sessions beneficial immediately after each experience but did not see a long- term trend of being less stressed overall. The treatment group for the study consisted of 16 student participants enrolled in 11th grade English class, who participated in 15 mindfulness sessions. The control group included 6 students who also were enrolled in 11th grade English classes with the researcher as their teacher. The null hypothesis was retained as students in the treatment group did not report being significantly less stressed than students in the control group after the intervention. However, observations and some descriptive data suggested the intervention was well-received and further investigation of the value of interventions such as the treatment used in this study are warranted, given the many stressors high school students report experiencing.