Poster #215 - Process Evaluation of a Newly Developed Classroom-Based Mindfulness/Yoga Curriculum for Urban Youth of Baltimore City

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Social, Emotional, Personality

Integrative Statement

Children growing up in urban inner-cities, such as Baltimore City, are exposed to a variety of stressors, ranging from difficult family situations, consequences of low-income, neglect, violence, criminality and traumatizing events. This increases the risk of academic failure, school-dropout, internalizing as well as externalizing problems, school bullying, and aggression. Restorative practices such as mindfulness and yoga are suggested to positively affect children’s emotion-regulation skills, compassion, academic achievement, attention and concentration, as well as resiliency (e.g. Felver, Celis-de Hoyos, Tezanos, & Singh, 2016; Mendelson et al., 2010; Zenner, Herrnleben-Kurz, & Walach, 2014).
The Holistic Life Foundation, a Baltimore-based non-profit organization, developed a classroom-based online mindfulness/yoga curriculum (Bridging Academics and the Mind; BAM) which was launched at five Baltimore City elementary schools in 2018. During professional development sessions, teachers were educated about a variety of breathing and yoga exercises and trained to facilitate these to their students. The BAM curriculum includes a detailed implementation and practice guide including background information, instructional and practice video and audio materials of all exercises. Furthermore, supporting materials such as prompt cards and stickers were available. Teachers were instructed to guide one or a combination of practices for 5 to 10 minutes using the provided online material on a daily basis.
In this study we evaluate implementation processes of the BAM program, based on guidelines of the Medical Research Council guide (Moore et al., 2015). The aims were twofold: 1) To improve the intervention and shape it towards the needs of inner-city schools, and 2) to assess the efficacy of practicing mindfulness/yoga on teachers and students.
A multi-tiered approach including quantitative as well as qualitative measures was applied. A semi-structured interview was conducted with the developers of the BAM to assess the logic model behind it and the steps taken toward the school-based curriculum. Teachers (n = 80) were asked to fill out a questionnaire at the beginning of the school year (T0) and a second one four months later (T1). Outcome measures for teachers included psychological well-being, positive and negative affect, mindfulness, classroom management efficacy, and classroom climate. In addition, we asked for sociodemographic information, previous experiences with meditation and yoga, expectations of BAM at T0. Credibility of the program, the usefulness of the different practices, efficacy and overall impression of the curriculum were assessed at T1. A sample of 50 3-5 graders filled out self-report measures at T0 and T1, pertaining to well-being, stress, positive and negative effect and mindfulness.
Additionally, we asked 10 teachers to fill out a log-book for 12 consecutive weeks providing detailed feedback on which exercises were used, on what days, engagement of students, and specific facilitating and hindering factors they experienced. Four months into the curriculum implementation we conducted focus groups with 25 teachers and 15 students to evaluate implementation processes qualitatively and assess potential effects and possible mechanisms in more depth. Finally, semi-structured interviews with all principals were conducted.
Preliminary results on implementation processes and efficacy of the BAM will be presented.

Authors

• Birte Klusmann, University of Groningen / University Medical Center Groningen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ralf Cox, University of Groningen
  Presenting Author

• Ali Smith, Holistic Life Foundation, Inc
  Non-Presenting Author

• Atman Smith, Holistic Life Foundation, Inc
  Non-Presenting Author

• Andres Gonzalez, Holistic Life Foundation, Inc
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maya Schroevers, University of Groningen / University Medical Center Groningen
  Non-Presenting Author

• Robbert Sanderman, University of Groningen / University Medical Center Groningen
  Non-Presenting Author