A Well-being Training for Preservice Teachers (PST)

The purpose of this project is to study whether a mindfulness-based training program supports self-regulation, resiliency, effective classroom behaviors, and persistence in teaching.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Burnout, Professional; Stress, Psychological; Well-being; Psychological Adjustment; Self-regulation
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: novel mindfulness-based well-being training

Detailed Description

Participants in this study will be undergraduate pre-service teachers already enrolled in the Early Elementary Certification Program (EECP) in the School of Education. This competitive admission program is four semesters long and consists of 4 certificate granting areas. Over the course of 2 years (i.e., 4 semesters), the investigators will recruit a total of 8 cohorts; 2 from each certificate granting area. Participants will be recruited during their second semester in the program for enrollment during the third semester (i.e., enrollment first semester of senior year). Cohorts will be match randomized by cohort type, ensuring that 4 cohorts are randomized to treatment and 4 cohorts are randomized to teacher education as usual, and that one of each type of cohort is randomized to treatment and control, respectively.

All participants will complete a battery of self-report and behavioral tasks, as well as undergo a standardized classroom observation prior to the start of the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and at follow-up (5-8 months post intervention). Follow-up testing will occur during the final month of the final semester in the EECP program, a time during which participants will be full-time student teaching, training that best approximates in-service teaching. The qualitative component of this study will involve participants partaking in approximately four-hours of interviews (either group or individual based on a hierarchal sampling criterion), before and after the intervention period. In addition, all student EECP records will be qualitatively analyzed (i.e., supervisor notes, state certification portfolios). Each September for three years post-graduation, participants will be contacted and instructed to complete an online survey consisting of self-report inventories and information about whether they are continuing to teach and if so, the name and district of the school they currently work.

Participants randomized to treatment will receive 1.5 hours of mindfulness training for 8 to 10 weeks during their third semester. Thirty minutes of this will occur during mandatory cohort seminar time, with the remaining one-hour after the end of cohort seminar time. In addition, during the intervention period they will participate in two 4-hour "Days of Mindfulness." In total, intervention participants will receive about 21 hours of instruction in mindfulness over the intervention period. During the following semester (4th semester), intervention participants will receive 15 minutes of mindfulness "booster" practice each week as part of their mandatory cohort seminar.

This novel mindfulness based intervention is incorporates elements of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (Kabat-Zinn, 1982), as well as contemplative practices that might be defined as social connectedness practices or constructivist practices (Dahl, Lutz, & Davidson, 2015). The curriculum has been developed by experienced mindfulness teachers (>10 years teaching experience, on average), all of whom have extensive meditation histories and most of whom have long-term experience as classroom teachers. The training will consist of formal and informal mindfulness meditation practices.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 98
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Wisconsin
    • Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53706
      • UW Madison Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergraduate students in good academic standing entering their third semester of one of the following teacher education certificate programs (Early Education ESL, Middle Education SPED, Middle Education Content, Middle Education ESL). Note that good academic standing is a requirement for continuation in the certification program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• A history of schizophrenia-spectrum, bipolar disorder, or other psychotic disorders

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention Group; A novel mindfulness-based well-being training for preservice teachers will be employed. The intervention will be held once a week for 8-10 weeks. Two 4-hour "days of mindfulness" will also be implemented during the intervention period. The intervention will involve training in a range of attentional and constructive (Dahl, Lutz, & Davidson) contemplative practices. During the follow-up period participants will receive weekly 15 minute "booster" trainings.	Behavioral: novel mindfulness-based well-being training
No Intervention: Control Group; Teacher education as usual. These participants will continue with the prescribed teacher training regime established by the Early Education Certification Program at the university.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline on CLASS assessment tool (La Paro, Pianta, & Stuhlman, 2004)	A standardized classroom observation tool assessing teacher classroom behaviors.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Symptoms Checklist 90 Revised (Derogatis, 1994)	a 90-item self-report of psychological symptoms comprised of 9 symptom axes (somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism). An aggregated score across all 9 domains provides a Global Severity Index score of psychological health.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Maslach Burnout Inventory - Education Survey (Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996)	a 22-item self-report of teaching related burnout	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11-12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8-11 months after baseline (5-8 months post-intervention): ~14 months after baseline, ~26 months after baseline, and ~38 months after baseline
Change from baseline on Emotional go/nogo (Hare et al., 2008)	An emotional inhibition paradigm.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Persistence in teaching: Current profession and role (if teaching, name of school)	Self-report on employment status following graduation and teacher licensure.	~ 14 months after baseline, ~ 26 months after baseline, and ~ 38 months after baseline.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline on Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test (Quirin, Kazen, & Kuhl, 2009)	A computer-based behavioral measure of implicit affective bias in which participants are provided with 5 nonsense words and asked to rate the words on a scale of emotional valence.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11-12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8-11 months after baseline (5-8 months post-intervention): ~14 months after baseline, ~26 months after baseline, and ~38 months after baseline
Change from baseline on General Self-efficacy Scale (Jerusalem & Schwarzer, 1992)	A 10-item self-report of general self-efficacy	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Psychological Well-Being Scale (Ryff & Keyes, 1995)	A 54-item self-report inventory assessing psychological well-being.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11-12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8-11 months after baseline (5-8 months post-intervention): ~14 months after baseline, ~26 months after baseline, and ~38 months after baseline
Change from baseline on Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988)	A self-report survey of general positive and negative affect.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Emotional Styles Questionnaire (under development)	A self-report designed to assess styles of emotional responding.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11-12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8-11 months after baseline (5-8 months post-intervention): ~14 months after baseline, ~26 months after baseline, and ~38 months after baseline
Change from baseline on Open response on difficulties in teaching	A one-item open response on difficulty in teaching.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983)	A 10-item self-report on perceived stress in the last month.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Implicit Association Task (Race, child and adult versions; Baron & Banaji, 2006)	A behavioral task designed to assess implicit biases related to race.	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Baer et al., 2008)	A 39-item self-report of mindfulness	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)
Change from baseline on Breath Count Task (Levinson et al., 2014)	15 minute behavioral measure of mindfulness	1-2 weeks before intervention (i.e., baseline), 11 - 12 weeks after baseline (1-2 weeks post-intervention), 8 - 11 months after baseline ( 5-8 months post intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Collaborators: Mind and Life Institute, Hadley, Massachusetts; The Trust for the Meditation Process
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Lisa Flook, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Study Director: Matthew J Hirshberg, PhD, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav. 1983 Dec;24(4):385-96. No abstract available.
• Watson D, Clark LA, Tellegen A. Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1063-70. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063.
• Baer RA, Smith GT, Lykins E, Button D, Krietemeyer J, Sauer S, Walsh E, Duggan D, Williams JM. Construct validity of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in meditating and nonmeditating samples. Assessment. 2008 Sep;15(3):329-42. doi: 10.1177/1073191107313003. Epub 2008 Feb 29.
• Derogatis, L. R. (1994). SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist-90-R administration, scoring and procedures manual. Minneapolis, MN: National Computer Systems.
• Ryff CD, Keyes CL. The structure of psychological well-being revisited. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1995 Oct;69(4):719-27. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.69.4.719.
• Levinson DB, Stoll EL, Kindy SD, Merry HL, Davidson RJ. A mind you can count on: validating breath counting as a behavioral measure of mindfulness. Front Psychol. 2014 Oct 24;5:1202. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01202. eCollection 2014.
• Kabat-Zinn J. An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: theoretical considerations and preliminary results. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 1982 Apr;4(1):33-47. doi: 10.1016/0163-8343(82)90026-3.
• Dahl CJ, Lutz A, Davidson RJ. Reconstructing and deconstructing the self: cognitive mechanisms in meditation practice. Trends Cogn Sci. 2015 Sep;19(9):515-23. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2015.07.001. Epub 2015 Jul 28.
• La Paro, K. M., Pianta, R. C., & Stuhlman, M. (2004). The Classroom Assessment Scoring System: Findings from the prekindergarten year. The Elementary School Journal, 104(5), 409-426. http://doi.org/10.1086/499760
• Maslach, C., Jackson, S. E., & Leiter, M. P. (1996). Maslach burnout inventory manual . Mountain View, CA: CPP. Inc., and Davies-Black.
• Baron AS, Banaji MR. The development of implicit attitudes. Evidence of race evaluations from ages 6 and 10 and adulthood. Psychol Sci. 2006 Jan;17(1):53-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01664.x.
• Quirin M, Kazen M, Kuhl J. When nonsense sounds happy or helpless: The Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test (IPANAT). J Pers Soc Psychol. 2009 Sep;97(3):500-16. doi: 10.1037/a0016063.
• Jerusalem, M., & Schwarzer, R. (1992). Self-efficacy as a resource factor in stress appraisal processes. Self-efficacy: Thought control of action, 195-213.
• Hare TA, Tottenham N, Galvan A, Voss HU, Glover GH, Casey BJ. Biological substrates of emotional reactivity and regulation in adolescence during an emotional go-nogo task. Biol Psychiatry. 2008 May 15;63(10):927-34. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2008.03.015.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 14, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): December 11, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 2, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 4, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): September 9, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 26, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 22, 2021
• Last Verified: January 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Mindfulness; School Teachers; teacher education; preservice teachers
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Occupational Stress; Occupational Diseases; Burnout, Psychological; Burnout, Professional; Stress, Psychological
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2014-1263; A487400 (Other Identifier: UW Madison); L&S/PSYCHOLOGY/PSYCHOLOGY (Other Identifier: UW Madison)