Evidence and outcomes: education-based mindfulness

Welcome to the Mindfulness in Schools Project Evidence Base. This repository collects just some of the wealth of research, data and experiences around the implementation and effectiveness of mindfulness in schools.

Summary

Mindfulness programmes are becoming increasingly popular in schools and educational settings worldwide, with a growing quantitative evidence base emerging from research studies. Most evidence is from controlled studies of discrete mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs).

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on MBIs have shown a moderate to small positive impact on children and young people’s:

  • mental health
  • social and emotional skills
  • cognition and learning.

There is also emerging evidence for effects on general wellbeing, behaviour, and physical health. However, mindfulness in education is a young field, and there is still much to learn from research on effective delivery.

Mindfulness in schools is about introducing children to skills as early as possible to support their lifelong wellbeing. It also benefits educators, including stress regulation and reduction, increased self-compassion and teaching efficacy.

Outcomes for students

Outcomes for teachers

Conclusion

The long-term cumulative evidence from a growing and promising body of international research is that good-quality mindfulness has many tangible benefits for pupils and teachers.


Mindfulness in Schools Project would like to express our gratitude to Katherine Weare, Emeritus Professor at the University of Southampton and Lead for Mindfulness in Education the Mindfulness Initiative, for her support and expertise in compiling the above summary.