Is mindfulness training useful for pre-service teachers? An exploratory investigation^*

^*This article is based on a paper presented at the 7th Annual Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education (ACMHE) conference, 8–11 October 2015 in Washington, DC.

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of mindfulness training with 23 pre-service teachers. Subjects were assigned to either a six-week mindfulness training program or a control condition. Postintervention, mindfulness participants reported greater emotional clarity and improved regulation of negative emotions. In particular, the mindfulness group was shielded from an increase in negative emotions compared to the control group. In addition, within-group differences suggested that mindfulness training helps student-teachers control impulsive behavior and respond more flexibly to stressful emotions. These findings add to a growing body of research on the benefits of mindfulness. Pre-service teachers, it seems, gain the most benefit in the realm of emotional regulation.

Keywords:

• Teacher education curriculum
• teacher thinking and knowledge
• mindfulness for pre-service teachers

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to Dr. V. Krishna Kumar for his statistical assistance and helpful comments.

Notes

^* This article is based on a paper presented at the 7th Annual Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education (ACMHE) conference, 8–11 October 2015 in Washington, DC.