Skip to main content

Middle School Teachers’ Mindfulness, Occupational Health and Well-Being, and the Quality of Teacher-Student Interactions

Mindfulness volume 10, pages 245–255 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Building upon contemporary models of teaching that suggest that teachers’ own well-being is related to their classroom practice and student outcomes, we examined whether middle school teachers’ mindfulness skills were related to their concurrent occupational health and well-being (job stress, occupational burnout, and depressive and anxiety symptoms), and quality of their interactions with students in their “most stressful” class during the school day. Multivariate regression analyses of 58 middle school teachers indicated that teacher mindfulness was significantly associated with lower levels of job stress, occupational burnout, and depressive and anxiety symptoms; and higher levels of observers’ ratings of teachers’ emotionally supportive interactions with students in their most stressful classroom. Occupational burnout, in contrast, was negatively related to observers’ ratings of emotional support and organization in the classroom. Results suggest individual differences in middle school teachers’ mindfulness may affect their interactions with students in the middle school classroom directly and through reductions in burnout, though longitudinal studies of these relations are needed. Findings are discussed in relation to intervention efforts to improve teacher mindfulness through training in order to support occupational health and well-being, improve the quality of teacher-student interactions in the classroom, and increase student engagement and learning.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

39,95 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)

Fig. 1

References

  • Abenavoli, R. M., Jennings, P. A., Greenberg, M. T., Harris, A. R., & Katz, D. A. (2013). The protective effects of mindfulness against burnout among educators. The Pyschology of Education Review, 37(2), 57–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J., Gregory, A., Mikami, A., Lun, J., Hamre, B., & Pianta, R. (2013). Observations of effective teacher-student interactions in secondary school classrooms: predicting student achievement with the classroom assessment scoring system-secondary. School Psychology Review, 42(1), 76–98.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., & Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 53–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bohlmeijer, E., Klooster, P. M., Fledderus, M., Veehof, M., & Baer, R. (2011). Psychometric properties of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in depressed adults and development of a short form. Assessment, 18(3), 308–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/1073191111408231.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brouwers, H., & Tomic, W. (2000). A longitudinal study of teacher burnout and perceived self-efficacy in classroom management. Teaching and Teacher Education, 16, 239–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CASEL. (2017). Core SEL competencies. Retrieved June 18, 2017, from http://www.casel.org/core-competencies/

  • Costrell, R. M., & Dean, J. (2013). The rising cost of teachers’ health care: private sector employers pay much less. Retrieved February 19, 2017, from Retrieved from http://educationnext.org/the-rising-cost-of-teachers’-health-care/

  • Cullen, M. (2011). Mindfulness-based interventions: an emerging phenomenon. Mindfulness, 2, 186–193. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-011-0058-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dane, E., & Brummel, B. J. (2014). Examining workplace mindfulness and its relations to job performance and turnover intention. Human Relations, 67(1), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726713487753.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dienstbier, R. A. (1989). Arousal and physiological toughness: Implications for mental and physical health. Psychological Review, 96(1), 84–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. S., & Roeser, R. W. (1999). School and community influences on human development. In M. H. Bornstein & M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Developmental psychology: an advanced textbook (4th ed., pp. 503–554). Mahwah: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J. S., & Roeser, R. W. (2010). An ecological view of schools and development. In J. L. Meece & J. S. Eccles (Eds.), Handbook of research in schools, schooling, and human development. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldlaufer, H., Midgley, C., & Eccles, J. S. (1988). Student, teacher, and observer perceptions of the classroom environment before and after the transition to junior high school. Journal of Early Adolescence, 2, 133–156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gest, S. D., & Rodkin, P. C. (2011). Teaching practices and elementary classroom peer ecologies. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 32(5), 288–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2011.02.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greenberg, M. T., Brown, J. S., & Abenavoli, R. M. (2016). Teacher stress and health: Effects on teachers, students, and schools. Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved from http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2016/rwjf430428

  • Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57, 35–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00573-7.

  • Hamre, B. K., & Pianta, R. C. (2005). Can instructional and emotional support in the first-grade classroom make a difference for children at risk of school failure? Child Development, 76(5), 949–967.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hargreaves, A. (1998). The emotional politics of teaching and teacher development: with implications for educational leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1(4).

  • Hölzel, B. K., Lazar, S. W., Gard, T., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Vago, D. R., & Ott, U. (2011). How does mindfulness meditation work? Proposing mechanisms of action from a conceptual and neural perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(6), 537–559. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691611419671.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Howard, S., & Johnson, B. (2004). Resilient teachers: Resisting stress and burnout. Social Psychology of Education, 7(4), 399–420. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-004-0975-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J. E. M., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. B. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: the role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310–325. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031313.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ingersoll, R. M., & Smith, T. . M. (2003). The wrong solution to the teacher shortage. Educational leadership.

  • Jennings, P. A. (2015). Early childhood teachers’ well-being, mindfulness, and self-compassion in relation to classroom quality and attitudes towards challenging students. Mindfulness, 6(4), 732–743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0312-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, P. A., Brown, J. L., Frank, J. L., Doyle, S., Oh, Y., Davis, R., et al. (2017). Impacts of the CARE for teachers program on teachers’ social and emotional competence and classroom interactions. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(7), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, P. A., Frank, J. L., Snowberg, K. E., Coccia, M. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2013). Improving classroom learning environments by cultivating awareness and resilience in education (CARE): results of a randomized controlled trial. School Psychology Quarterly, 28(4), 374–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000035.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jennings, P. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2009). The prosocial classroom: teacher social and emotional competence in relation to student and classroom outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 79(1), 491–525. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308325693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeon, L., Buettner, C. K., & Snyder, A. R. (2014). Pathways from teacher depression and child-care quality to child behavioral problems. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 82(2), 225–235. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035720.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S., Cooper, C., Cartwright, S., Donald, I., Taylor, P. J., & Millet, C. (2005). The experience of work-related stress across occupations. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 20(2), 178–187. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940510579803.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Mindfulness meditation for everyday life. New York: Hyperion.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, J. N., Tellegen, C. L., & Steindl, S. R. (2017). A meta-analysis of compassion-based interventions: Current state of knowledge and future directions. Behavior Therapy, 48(6), 778–792. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2017.06.003.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, R. M., & Chiu, M. M. (2010). Effects on teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction: Teacher gender, years of experience, and job stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102(3), 741–756. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, R. M., & Chiu, M. M. (2011). The occupational commitment and intention to quit of practicing and pre-service teachers: Influence of self-efficacy, job stress, and teaching context. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36(2), 114–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2011.01.002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klusmann, U., Kunter, M., Trautwein, U., Ludtke, O., & Baumert, J. (2008). Teachers’ occupational well-being and quality of instruction: The important role of self-regulatory patterns. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(3), 702–715. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.100.3.702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert, R. G., McCarthy, C. J., & Abbott-Shim, M. (2001). Classroom appraisal of resources and emands, school-age version. Atlanta: Head Start Quality Research Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping. European Journal of Personality, 1, 141–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luckner, A. E., & Pianta, R. C. (2011). Teacher–student interactions in fifth grade classrooms: relations with children’s peer behavior. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 32(5), 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2011.02.010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madill, R. A., Gest, S. D., & Rodkin, P. C. (2014). Students’ perceptions of relatedness in the classroom: the roles of emotionally supportive teacher-child interactions, children’s aggressive-disruptive behaviors, and peer social preference. School Psychology Review, 43(1), 86–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mashburn, A. J., Pianta, R. C., Hamre, B. K., Downer, J. T., Barbarin, O. A., Bryant, D., et al. (2008). Measures of classroom quality in prekindergarten and children’s development of academic, language, and social skills. Child Development, 79(3), 732–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslach, C., Jackson, S.E., & Leiter, M.P. (1996). Maslach burnout inventory manual. Palo Alto.

  • Midgley, C., Feldlaufer, H., & Eccles, J. S. (1988). The transition to junior high school: Beliefs of pre- and posttransition teachers. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 17(6), 543–562.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery, C., & Rupp, A. A. (2005). A meta-analysis for exploring the diverse causes and effects of stress in teachers. Canadian Journal of Education, 28(3), 458–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roeser, R. W., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Jha, A., Cullen, M., Wallace, L., Wilensky, R., et al. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout: Results from two randomized, waitlist-control field trials. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 787–804. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032093.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roeser, R. W., Skinner, E., Beers, J., & Jennings, P. A. (2012). Mindfulness training and teachers’ professional development: An emerging area of research and practice. Child Development Perspectives, 6(2), 167–173. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1750-8606.2012.00238.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seery, M. D., Leo, R. J., Lupien, S. P., Kondrak, C. L., & Almonte, J. L. (2013). An upside to adversity? Moderate cumulative lifetime adversity is associated with resilient responses in the face of controlled stressors. Psychological Science, 24(7), 1181–1189. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612469210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C.D., Gorsuch, R.L., Lushene, R., Vagg, P.R., & Jacobs, G.A. (1983). State-trait anxiety inventory for adults. Mind Garden.

  • Spilt, J. L., Koomen, H. M. Y., & Thijs, J. T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher-student relationships. Educational Psychology Review, 23, 457–477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutton, R. E., & Wheatley, K. F. (2003). Teachers’ emotions and teaching: a review of the literature and directions for future research. Educational Psychology Review, 15(4), 327–358. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026131715856.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, N. Z., & Millear, P. M. R. (2016). The contribution of mindfulness to predicting burnout in the workplace. Personality and Individual Differences, 89, 123–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.10.005.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wentzel, K. R. (2016). Teacher-student relationships. In K. R. Wentzel & D. B. Miele (Eds.), Handbook of motivation at school (2nd ed., pp. 211–230). Malwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Willower, D. J., & Lawrence, J. D. (1979). Teachers’ perceptions of student threat to teacher status and teacher pupil control ideology. Psychology in the Schools, 16(4), 586–590.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoon, J. S. (2002). Teacher characteristics as predictors of teacher-student relationships: stress, negative affect, and self-efficacy. Social Behavior and Personality, 30(5), 485–494. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2002.30.5.485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would also like to thank the William T. Grant Foundation, Spencer Foundation, Portland State University, Andre Jackson, and Ulco Visser of the Impact Foundation, for making this study possible. Thank you to the district administration and all participating teachers, students, and families, and all of the research assistants who aided the project over the years. We are most grateful for your assistance.

Funding

This study was funded by research grants from the William T. Grant Foundation (10942) and the Spencer Foundation (201400182). The first author was supported by a predoctoral training grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences (R305B090007), and second author was supported by the Bennett Pierce Chair in Care and Compassion, during the preparation of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, USA

    Summer S. Braun & Robert W. Roeser

  2. Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA

    Andrew J. Mashburn & Ellen Skinner

Authors
  1. Summer S. Braun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Robert W. Roeser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andrew J. Mashburn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ellen Skinner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

SSB: Together with RWR, conceptualized the study. Completed data analyses, interpretation, and manuscript preparation.

RWR: Project Principal Investigator. Together with SSB, conceptualized the study. Collaborated with data analyses, interpretation, and manuscript preparation.

AJM: Project Co-Investigator, collaborated in the writing, and editing of the final manuscript.

ES: Project Co-Investigator, collaborated in the writing, and editing of the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert W. Roeser.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Robert Roeser (PI), and Andrew Mashburn and Ellen Skinner (CO-PIs) received research grants from the William T. Grant Foundation (10942) and the Spencer Foundation (201400182) to conduct this research. The first author was supported by a predoctoral training grant from the Institute of Educational Sciences (R305B090007), and second author was supported by the Bennett Pierce Chair in Care and Compassion, during the preparation of this manuscript.

Ethical Approval

All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Portland State University institutional review board and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Braun, S.S., Roeser, R.W., Mashburn, A.J. et al. Middle School Teachers’ Mindfulness, Occupational Health and Well-Being, and the Quality of Teacher-Student Interactions. Mindfulness 10, 245–255 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0968-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0968-2

Keywords

  • Middle school
  • Teacher well-being
  • Mindfulness
  • Job stress
  • Burnout
  • Interaction quality
  • Emotional support
  • Classroom organization