Teaching Mindfulness to Teachers: a Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Teaching Mindfulness to Teachers: a Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis Lisa-Marie Emerson1 & Anna Leyland1 & Kristian Hudson2 & Georgina Rowse 1 & Pam Hanley3 & Siobhan Hugh-Jones2

School teachers report high levels of stress which impact on their engagement with pupils and effectiveness as teachers. In the United States 40% leave the profession within the first 5 years. Poor emotion regulation has been associated with increased negative interaction with pupils and teacher burnout. Teacher self-efficacy is considered a protective factor against stress and burnout and is linked to perseverance with challenging students. Mindfulness based programs (MBP) have been applied in the teaching context to help teachers recognize and regulate stress reactions and enhance selfcompassion. This systematic review summarizes current research on the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Programs MBP for reducing teacher stress on teachers of children 5-18 years , 12 papers were included, 13 samples. A quality appraisal of the identified articles was carried out. A range of MBPs were employed across the literature, ranging in contact hours and aims. The present review of evidence informs a proposed model of reduced teacher stress resulting from a MBI. Through mindfulness training, an individual may see gains in mindfulness (e.g. decentering, regulation of attention) and selfcompassion that lead to more effective emotion regulation strategies and increased professional self-efficacy and ultimately reduced stress. From the evidence reported across the 13 eligible studies, it is possible to conclude that MBPs for teachers show most promise for the proposed intermediary effect of emotion regulation.