Abstract
Objectives:Investigate the change in perceived stress, mindful attention awareness, subjective wellbeing and coping for pre-service teachers (PSTs) and the impact of a pilot 6-h Complementary Intervention (CI).Method:Phase One (N = 79) survey at two timepoints. Perceived Stress Scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Personal Wellbeing Index and the Brief COPE scale. Phase Two CI pre- and post-program self-report measures (N = 20).Data analysis:Paired-sample and independent sample t-test.Results:The paired-samples t-test confirmed that perceived stress levels (p = 0.082) for PSTs remain elevated across the duration of the academic year. There was not a significant change for the MAAS and sub-scales of the Brief COPE. There was a significant decrease in PWI scores (p = 0.04). The participants in the CI experienced a significant decrease in perceived stress (p = 0.004) pre-program (M = 18.6, SD = 7.04) and post-program (M = 15.55, SD = 6.95), effect size (d = 0.48). Increase in mindful attention awareness (p = 0.019), pre-program (M = 3.49, SD = 0.59) and post-program (M = 3.94, SD = 0.85), effect size (d = −0.57).Conclusion:The findings suggest that perceived stress for PSTs are at above-average levels and a yoga-based CI may provide support for promoting wellbeing and stress management.
Highlights
Teacher stress and wellbeing is an established area for educational research spanning over 40 years (e.g. Jelinek, 1986)
The findings indicate a need for health promotion and health education during university education
The findings indicated that the home yoga practise was more strongly associated with increased mindfulness, wellbeing and decreased perceived stress and anxiety, even though the home yoga practise was reported for less total hours than the other formal practices
Summary
Teacher stress and wellbeing is an established area for educational research spanning over 40 years (e.g. Jelinek, 1986). Teacher stress and wellbeing is an established area for educational research spanning over 40 years Psychological distress can manifest as physiological ailments or symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, decreased productivity and performance (Wong et al, 2006). Those entering the teaching profession are more likely to have ideological motivation based on empathy and service to others. It is argued that very little time in teacher education courses is devoted to teaching PSTs the importance of recognizing signs of stress and practical coping strategies they can implement (Gustems-Carnicer and Calderón, 2013). The importance of interpersonal skills for coping with stress was identified by Lindqvist and colleagues (2017). An important consideration is that individuals’ wellbeing can influence how they interact and engage with their peers and colleagues (Le Cornu, 2013)
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