The Contribution of Long-Term Mindfulness Training on Personal and Professional Coping for Teachers Living in a Conflict Zone: A Qualitative Perspective.

Alon Lazar,Tal Litvak-Hirsch

doi:10.3390/ijerph17114096

Abstract

It has been suggested that mindfulness training can provide teachers with coping mechanisms and influence their perceptions of self and others. However, how does mindfulness help teachers cope in a stressful security situation both as Israeli citizens who live in a war zone and as teachers who are responsible for their students’ lives? Fifteen female teachers, who lived and worked in the western Negev and who had completed two-years of mindfulness training, were interviewed. Interviewees reported that their coping skills had been heightened as result of being able to put aside intrusive thoughts and feelings that used to paralyze them and to focus on active coping, centered on what they needed to do promptly. Most also noted a more accepting attitude of themselves, without self-criticism or blame for what they should have or should not have done when facing the stressful situation. In relation to their students, they were more accepting of the behaviors and emotions expressed by their students and reported being more compassionate. The results will be discussed through the prism proposed by Lazarus and Folkman (1991). Educational implications of the outcomes of mindfulness training for those living in areas under the shadow of war will be suggested.

Highlights

The past few decades have witnessed a growing interest in research on both the negative and the positive outcomes of ongoing exposure to terror and war, with regard to the coping mechanisms of both the population at large and professionals living in such areas [1,2].Israeli society, whose members experience such situations, struggles to remain vibrant and flourishing while threatened by war and terror
The current study focuses on the reactions of teachers who live and work in this area and have undergone mindfulness training, aiming to assess their coping skills as individuals and professionals
The present study aims to provide preliminary answers to an under-discussed topic in the literature: What is the contribution of a long-term mindfulness program to teachers’ coping as individuals and as teachers living in a conflict zone?

Summary

Introduction

The past few decades have witnessed a growing interest in research on both the negative and the positive outcomes of ongoing exposure to terror and war, with regard to the coping mechanisms of both the population at large and professionals living in such areas [1,2].Israeli society, whose members experience such situations, struggles to remain vibrant and flourishing while threatened by war and terror. The past few decades have witnessed a growing interest in research on both the negative and the positive outcomes of ongoing exposure to terror and war, with regard to the coping mechanisms of both the population at large and professionals living in such areas [1,2]. The situation has become acute for those living within a 40-km range from the Gaza Strip, namely, in Israel’s western Negev. These citizens face rocket bombardments and flaming balloons on an ongoing basis. The current study focuses on the reactions of teachers who live and work in this area and have undergone mindfulness training, aiming to assess their coping skills as individuals and professionals. Focus on ways of coping and mindfulness among teachers

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion