More compassion, better grades? A Mixed Method study on the effects of Mindfulness onProsocial Behaviour and Academic Performance in 7 to 11 year old

This proposal focuses on the effects of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) for 7 to 11 year olds in schools in the United Kingdom (UK). Mindfulness is used therapeutically to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults, and more recently has become popular in schools (Weare, 2018), with the purpose of increasing wellbeing.

Research on MBIs for children and adolescents suggests small to medium effects in psycho-social health and wellbeing (Black, 2016), cognition (Maynard et. al., 2017), disruptive behaviour (Klingbeil et. al., 2017), academic grades (Flook et. al., 2015) and physical health (Barnes et. al., 2004). Most interventions currently available have been adapted from Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) or Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) (Maynard et. al., 2017). According to The Mindful Initiative (2018), the three largest organisations currently implementing MBIs in UK schools are Mindfulness In Schools Project (Mindfulness In Schools Project, 2019) The Youth Mindfulness Kids Programme (Youthmindfulness, 2018) and MindUp (Mindup, 2018). However, the majority of the research into the effects of MBIs have not focused on these programs specifically.

Mindfulness has been recommended in UK schools by the UK's Centre for Translational Research (Mindfulness Initiative, 2018). A review by Weare (2018) summarised the findings from systematic reviews (Burke, 2010; Felver, 2015; Black, 2016) and meta-analyses (Zenner et al, 2014; Zoogman et al, 2014; Kallapiran et al, 2015; Klingbeil et al, 2017a; Klingbeil et al, 2017b; Maynard et. al., 2017), into MBIs to date. It identified the following areas of weakness in current research: lack of randomised-control-trials (RCTs); overlap between developer and researcher; little replication and short follow-ups; limited measures specifically for young people and a lack of multi-informant measures. Most research with younger groups has been in the United States, with the majority involving adolescents. Research on the experience of programme participants is also scarce, and limited to adults (Malpass et. al., 2012). Further research is therefore required to study the effects of a specific, well-established MBI for children (rather than adolescents) in the UK and address areas where research has been insufficient or lacking to date. The current project aims to fulfil both of these requirements.
Aims and Objectives

To study the effects of the MBI "Paws.B", by Mindfulness In Schools Project, for children aged between 7 to 11 years old, in schools within the UK. This program has been selected as it is currently the most widely used program for this understudied age group in the UK (Mindfulness In Schools Project, 2018).
It will focus on two areas of potential impact: academic grades and prosocial behaviour, as these have not been studied extensively to date (Weare, 2018). The project will consist of three studies, each designed as an RCT researchers who are not involved in the development of the interventions.