Gaining headspace: A classroom‐based mindfulness intervention to promote attention for primary students

• Published in: Psychology in the schools 2024-12, Vol.61 (12), p.4449-4464
• Main Authors: Rigney, Alexander M., Drevon, Daniel D., Hixson, Michael D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavior; Classrooms; executive functions; intervention (behavior); Mindfulness; Perceptions; School based intervention; single subject designs; Students; Teachers
• ISSN: 0033-3085; 1520-6807
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.23285

The authors investigated whether a functional relation exists between the mindfulness‐based intervention Headspace and student attentive behavior, and the perceptions of Headspace from instructors who used the intervention. The study was conducted in three classrooms with elementary‐age students. The intervention was delivered via the Headspace application. Data were collected using systematic direct observation. The research design was a multiple baseline design. Each classroom was the unit of analysis. Data were analyzed using visual analysis and by calculating a between‐case standardized mean difference. Results showed a nonsignificant, small effect size (g = 0.53, (95% CI [−0.15, 1.22]). Overall, results from the visual analysis suggest there was not a functional relation between Headspace and attentive behavior. The perceptions of Headspace by instructors were not positive. The results differ from previous results in the literature and are interpreted considering limitations related to the planning/design of the study as well as its execution. Practitioner points Headspace, a self‐administered mindfulness program, implemented for 6 min daily with minimal interventionist input using Headspace kids sessions, may not improve students' attentive behavior Instructors' perceptions of Headspace as an intervention were largely unfavorable; the majority of instructors with pre‐post data slightly agreed the intervention was acceptable but disagreed or strongly disagreed about it being effective. Although results from the current study did not support Headspace as an effective Tier 1 intervention, it is conceptually one that fits well within that tier of support. However, results suggested that more involvement by instructional staff may be important to students benefitting from the intervention. If future research were to provide more support for Headspace as an effective intervention for attentive behavior, schools that choose to implement Headspace as a mindfulness‐based intervention may benefit from training teachers to take a more active role in the implementation of the intervention.