Evaluating a mindfulness program for teachers as an intervention for teacher burnout in urban, low-income schools

Author/Creator

Author/Creator ORCID

Date

2013-02-20

Department

Towson University. Department of Psychology

Program

Citation of Original Publication

Rights

Copyright protected, all rights reserved.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.

Subjects

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of a mindfulness program for teachers to mitigate teacher burnout. Forty three teachers completed baseline and posttest measures of teacher stress, teacher efficacy, and teacher burnout. Those in the intervention group participated in 6 one hour sessions of a mindfulness program over three weeks. The intervention was led by the Holistic Life Foundation and consisted of deep breathing techniques, body relaxation techniques, and brief meditations. This intervention proved useful for reducing stress and burnout symptoms however analyses failed to detect a significant effect. Further study should address the issue of sample size and also refine the timing and elements of the intervention.