Doctor of Arts in Leadership
Student Research Projects
Present Ground: The Effects of a Pilot Mindfulness-Based Stress Management Program on the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Choices, Mindful Attention and Awareness, and Perceived Stress of School Personnel
Carina D. Ziemek
Teacher stress and burnout is well documented in the research, as is the negative correlation between stress and overall health. Ongoing school reform and challenging economic times foreshadows continued pressure on school personnel for increased performance. Health promotion programs are uniquely positioned to educate school personnel in effective stress management techniques.
Research supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness practices to address stress and health issues is encouraging, in particular, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts.
Funded by a grant from the New Hampshire Local Government Center, the study piloted Present Ground, a 6-week (one hour per week) program designed to decrease perceived stress and increase health promoting lifestyle choices through mindfulness practices. Participants completed pre and post intervention surveys that included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Mindful Attention and Awareness scale (MAAS), the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII). Changes in perceived stress and health promoting behaviors showed significant positive change, while results suggest that a short intervention may not affect mindfulness practices.
The student's dissertation defense is scheduled for May 2010.
