Mindfulness has woven through American education for decades as an enduring concept aimed at reforming teachers, students, and classrooms. Signified as a quiet revolution in media and education policy today, our youth have been rebranded and schools remarketed as A Nation at Hope, with promises of mindfulness and contemplative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies. Yet, competing discourses of mindfulness incite youth across various goals and subjectivities. While the predominant global and national mindfulness discourse in education marks out students with preferred characteristics from those deemed insufficiently prepared to experience wellness, connectedness, and success, counter-narratives construct mindful students as transcending dominant social norms and movement toward collective freedom. In considering how such highly politicized discourses are mobilized in SEL curricula, this study problematized the decontextualized circulation of mindfulness discourses in the construction of a silenced and mindful subject. As a White teacher attending to the development of a critical lens that questions curriculum and policy, this study disrupts the researcher’s position as a former SEL trainer in a diverse school district. A critical whiteness studies lens established that several commonly used mindfulness-based interventions apprised a construction of students that works better for mass schooling systems rather than for distinct sociocultural identities. This inquiry provided a different lens on curricular decision- making by working from a local schooling context where stakeholders collaboratively decide on students’ social, emotional, and behavioral needs. In drawing on a conceptualization of discourse communities that recognizes how language and agency are mobilized in advocating for community goals, this interpretive case study inquired about community decision-making alongside stakeholders grappling with concepts and power relations to legitimize their work. The case was theoretically bound by critical discourse analysis, which traced the meaning-making of this community across individual andcollective texts. Thus, a collaborative study of individual and collective stakeholder discourse was read alongside the school’s curricular materials for a translocal comparison of discourse across individual and collective responses. This study may explain some ways that anti-racist discourse(s) figure in negotiating mindfulness and SEL for marginalized youth and how practitioners navigate toward humanizing, race-visible responses to mindfulness practices in their communities.

In this thesis, I seek to answer if applying the art of mindfulness to my directorial process can provide a greater experience of satisfaction and promote stronger effectiveness in the level of communication and cooperation amongst the collaborative artists in our theatremaking process, compared to previous departmental productions. This thesis will explore my journey and cultivation of mindfulness from both a personal and artistic perspective. I define the mindfulness-based principles of Mindful Decision Making, Mindful Listening & Loving Speech, and Shifting Negatives to Positives, and provide case studies of their application in my two production processes William Finn’s A New Brain and Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone, which were a part of UMass Amherst Theatre’s 2014-2015 season.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Major Depressive Disorder is a prevalent and pervasive problem in the United States, and this mental disorder disproportionately affects adolescents of color. In particular, there is little research understanding how Hispanic/Latinx adolescents utilize and engage with mental health services, such as psychotherapy, to reduce their symptoms of depression, including factors that are positively and negatively related to engagement. As such, the aims of this study were to understand whether there were any relationships between presenting characteristics of adolescents seeking therapy for depression and their subsequent engagement with therapeutic services, with a focus on analyses examining trends in Hispanic/Latinx adolescents. To investigate these aims, we utilized data from a pilot study in which adolescents (n=42) received a mind-body intervention for depression called Mind-Body Skills Groups. We examined possible relationships between depression severity, age, Hispanic/Latinx background, and their interactions with engagement, as measured by attendance rates, self-reported motivation, and at-home skills practice. We hypothesized that high depression severity, high age, and being Hispanic/Latinx would all negatively influence engagement; we also hypothesized the depression-engagement and age-engagement relationships would be moderated by Hispanic/Latinx background. Results revealed initial relationships between lower age and being Hispanic/Latinx with higher attendance rates; depression severity was not related to attendance. When these relationships were further analyzed using hierarchical regression, no significant relationships between predictor and outcomes variables, as well as their interactions, were discovered. In an exploratory analysis investigating factors of adolescent depression using subscales, greater interpersonal problems predicted higher attendance rates. Results are interpreted relative to limitations of the small sample size and possible measurement concerns within this study, including a discussion of possible ways to improve related studies on Hispanic/Latinx youth in the future.

Abstract An estimated 33% to 54% of hospital nurses exhibit signs of emotional stress and decreased well-being, which is associated with a negative impact on nurses’ health, job performance, patient care outcomes, and healthcare cost. This project sought to improve nurse well-being by providing nurses with education on mindfulness-based practices. The practice question addressed whether implementing a mindfulness-based education strategy for nurses improved nurse well-being. Three models informed this project: the health promotion model, the andragogical model, and Kirkpatrick’s 4 levels of training evaluation. Sources of evidence included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a knowledge assessment administered to 10 registered nurse participants before and after a 6-week education program. An overall evaluation was also given at the end of the program. Analytical strategies included frequency distributions for demographics and program evaluation as well as measuring the mean difference between pre- and postscores using a paired t test for the MBI and the knowledge assessment. The results of this project demonstrated a significant improvement between pre- and postscores for basic knowledge of mindfulness practices (p = .004), confidence in performing mindfulness practices (p = .001), ability to apply mindfulness practices in the work setting (p = .004), participant’s belief that applying mindfulness practices supports self care (p = .013), and improvement in emotional exhaustion (p = .025). The implications are that teaching nurses mindfulness strategies can decrease emotional exhaustion and stress. Recommendations are to continue this program. The positive impact on social change included improved nurse well-being leading to better patient outcomes.

Thesis advisor: Judith Shindul-Rothschild / BACKGROUND: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder associated with extensive medical and psychological comorbidities and limited treatment options. Mindfulness may enhance physical and psychological wellness but research on its usefulness in AN in limited. Foundational research is needed in this field to enhance the science and support the continued use of such practices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent levels of mindfulness correlate with eating disorder symptomology and other clinical indicators of health in persons with AN entering residential treatment. Furthermore, this study assessed for unique variance in eating disorder symptomology that is accounted for by mindfulness and other clinical indicators of health. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted. Sixty female, individuals diagnosed with AN were recruited to complete a confidential, web-based, 87-question survey upon admission a residential treatment facility in the Greater Boston area. Additional data from the participants’ charts were also collected. Data were analyzed using simple linear regression and stepwise multiple regression in SPSS. RESULTS: Mindfulness was significantly, inversely correlated with eating disorder symptoms. This relationship appeared to be particularly strong among individuals with AN, and particularly AN BP compared to individuals with OSFED AA. Among the entire sample, mindfulness significantly and inversely predicted shape concern and weight concern but not eating concern or restraint. When considering clinical indicators of health and certain demographic variables, mindfulness did not contribute any unique variance in eating disorder symptoms based on stepwise regression. Only anxiety and pain significantly predicted eating disorder symptoms among this sample. CONCLUSIONS: Level of mindfulness may be related to eating disorder symptomology in acute AN. Future research should explore this pattern over time and across different levels of care and determine what, if any, impact baseline levels of mindfulness and change over time have on eating disorder outcomes. Additional research should examine the mechanisms of actions of mindfulness and variance between subtypes of AN. The role of pain and anxiety on eating disorder symptomology and mediating or moderating effects of mindfulness should also be studied. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

Bakgrund: Stressrelaterad ohälsa är ett betydande globalt hälsoproblem som påverkar både fysisk och mental hälsa negativt. Parallellt med samhällets ökade stressproblematik har efterfrågan av metoder att stärka motståndskraften mot stress ökat, på såväl arbetsplatser, skolor och universitet. Antalet universitetsstudenter som sökt hjälp för stressrelaterad ohälsa har ökat. Störd inlärning, störd klinisk prestanda samt påverkan på psykologiskt välbefinnande är några konsekvenser som kan drabba universitetsstudenter. Studier har visat att mindfulness kan skapa en motståndskraft mot stress, metoden visade sig vara effektiv men mer forskning krävs. I denna studie undersöktes mindfulness effekt på universitetsstudenters hälsa. Syfte: Vilken effekt mindfulness har på universitetsstudenters hälsa med de inkluderade områdena sömn, koncentration, minne och stress. Metod: En experimentell icke-kontrollerad interventionsstudie genomfördes, där interventionen bestod av fyra veckors mindfulness. Totalt deltog fem fysioterapeutstudenter. Datainsamling via en enkät före och efter intervention, en avslutande skriftlig intervju samt loggbok. Resultat: Mindfulness i fyra veckor minskade nivån av upplevd stress från i snitt “ibland” till ”nästan aldrig-sällan”. Stressrelaterade koncentrationsbesvär minskade från “ibland-ofta” till “nästan aldrig-sällan”,  minnesbesvär minskade från “ibland” till “sällan”,  sömn var det område som hade minst påverkan. Konklusion: Resultatet visade att mindfulness under en fyra veckors interventionsperiod kan användas som ett verktyg för att skapa motståndskraft mot stress samt uppnå förbättringar inom områdena sömn, koncentration och minne.

Title: MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR YOUTH IN RURAL NORTHEAST TN Introduction: A major need in Hawkins County entails lack of access to mental health resources. As a rural Appalachian county, this scarcity is especially felt by the area’s youth, who are subject to peer pressure, higher ACE scores, and may lack the autonomy to seek out professional help. Methods: The community-based intervention spanned in three consecutive weekly small-group sessions. Eligible participants were recruited from the afterschool program at the Boys and Girls Club of Hawkins County and must have been in the 5th to 8th grade (middle school) during the course of the study (n=13). Each participant completed a pre-­intervention assessment, a series of short weekly surveys (one per session) and a post-­intervention assessment to determine effectiveness and retention of the material presented. Statistical significance was determined using a paired T-Test. Results: Results did not provide any statistically significant relationships but trends were observed in perceived stress which decreased overall from pre-survey to post-survey (p=0.716), as did the self-reported use of negative coping strategies in the group (p=0.193). There was also a slight increase (p=0.653) in self-reported use of positive coping skills. A trend for greater change in the male participants was also observed. The mindfulness activity was perceived with a higher affinity than the baseline knowledge (Unpacking Mental Health) session (p=0.017). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that short 1-hour interventions per week, especially those incorporating mindfulness strategies, can influence attitudes and coping strategies in rural adolescent children compared to mental health knowledge sessions alone (p=0.017). Trends in gender differences could underlie cultural and societal norms. Due to the limited number of mental health providers, evaluating behaviors were considered but not utilized. These trends, especially in mindfulness activities, could help further guide community partner mental health strategies for youth in rural Appalachia. Overall, these initial trends warrant further work in a much larger sample size and power of the study to draw definitive results.

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Due to the health and relational benefits associated with mindfulness, interest has increased in researching the topic. Typically, samples have been more homogeneous with no attention given to variations in mindfulness levels that may exist based on individuals’ characteristics. Therefore, this study assessed levels of three facets of mindfulness – non-reactivity, awareness, and non-judgement - with 1796 diverse individuals. Results indicate differences in mean level of non-reactivity based on sex, education level, income, and relationship status, with higher levels, on average, for males, individuals without a high school degree, individuals with an annual salary of $75,000+, and married individuals; differences in mean level of awareness based on sex and race, with higher levels, on average, for females and white individuals; and differences in mean level of non-judgement based on income, with higher levels, on average, for low income individuals. Findings highlight the value of considering social address in mindfulness studies.

Purpose. Individual adaptability has been proposed as a source of adaptive performance, an increasingly important performance dimension in dynamic contexts. However, there is limited understanding of the antecedents of adaptability. Mindfulness has been shown to improve performance and well-being in the workplace, but the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are not well understood. Answering this need, we hypothesize a link between mindfulness and adaptability and conduct an empirical study to examined this relationship in dynamic work contexts. Methodology and findings. 198 knowledge workers in dynamic workplaces completed a self-rating survey that measured mindfulness and a multifactor measure of individual adaptability. Correlation analysis found a significant positive relationship between mindfulness and individual adaptability, and also between mindfulness and five sub-factors of adaptability. Regression analysis found mindfulness could significantly predict adaptability and that mindfulness added incremental variability to various sub-scale factors of adaptability, over and above work stress adaptability. In other words, mindfulness is not simply a stress management skill but also enhances other aspects of adaptability such as learning and problem-solving. Implications. Individual adaptability helps to explain the relationship between mindfulness, performance and well-being in the workplace. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have established protocols and proven outcomes in organizational and psychological literature. It may be possible to enhance individual adaptability through such MBIs and thus support adaptive performance while reducing negative impacts on individual well-being. / Mini Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / pt2019 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / MBA / Unrestricted