A Qualitative Study of English School Children's Experiences of Two Brief, Universal, Classroom-Based Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions: Mindfulness and Relaxation.
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| Title: | A Qualitative Study of English School Children's Experiences of Two Brief, Universal, Classroom-Based Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions: Mindfulness and Relaxation. |
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| Authors: | Stapley, Emily1 (AUTHOR) emily.stapley@annafreud.org, Hayes, Daniel1,2 (AUTHOR), March, Anna1,3 (AUTHOR), Mansfield, Rosie4 (AUTHOR), Burrell, Kim1 (AUTHOR), Ashworth, Emma5 (AUTHOR), Moltrecht, Bettina1,4 (AUTHOR), Stallard, Paul6 (AUTHOR), Thompson, Abigail1 (AUTHOR), Deighton, Jessica1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Contemporary School Psychology (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.). Mar2026, Vol. 30 Issue 1, p91-103. 13p. |
| Subject Terms: | *School mental health services, *School children, *Qualitative research, Mindfulness, Relaxation techniques, Well-being, Mental health |
| Abstract: | There is growing interest in how mindfulness and relaxation, taught in a school setting, can help children to manage their mental health and wellbeing. However, to date there has been a paucity of qualitative research seeking to explore children's experiences of these interventions. Focus groups were conducted with 65 students (aged 8 to 12) across seven schools participating in a randomised controlled trial in England in 2019. Participants had received either a brief Mindfulness-Based Exercises or Relaxation Techniques intervention, delivered by school staff on a universal (whole-class) basis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants across both interventions cited the importance of having a quiet, calming atmosphere within the classroom to facilitate delivery, as well as the need for variation in activities. Many participants described the interventions as having a positive impact. However, some felt that the interventions could also induce feelings of annoyance, stress, and physical discomfort. The interventions differed in terms of some of the mechanisms behind positive impact identified by participants, with Relaxation Techniques reported as taking difficult feelings away and Mindfulness-Based Exercises described as enabling difficult feelings to be let go. The findings have implications for future intervention delivery in a school context. The findings identify how and why these interventions can work from children's perspectives (e.g., through reducing difficult feelings), as well as what can undermine positive impact (e.g., finding activities boring). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Contemporary School Psychology (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 192983679 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: A Qualitative Study of English School Children's Experiences of Two Brief, Universal, Classroom-Based Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions: Mindfulness and Relaxation. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stapley%2C+Emily%22">Stapley, Emily</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> emily.stapley@annafreud.org</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hayes%2C+Daniel%22">Hayes, Daniel</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22March%2C+Anna%22">March, Anna</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mansfield%2C+Rosie%22">Mansfield, Rosie</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burrell%2C+Kim%22">Burrell, Kim</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ashworth%2C+Emma%22">Ashworth, Emma</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moltrecht%2C+Bettina%22">Moltrecht, Bettina</searchLink><relatesTo>1,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stallard%2C+Paul%22">Stallard, Paul</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Thompson%2C+Abigail%22">Thompson, Abigail</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Deighton%2C+Jessica%22">Deighton, Jessica</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Contemporary+School+Psychology+%28Springer+Science+%26+Business+Media+B%2EV%2E%29%22">Contemporary School Psychology (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.)</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 30 Issue 1, p91-103. 13p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+mental+health+services%22">School mental health services</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+children%22">School children</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mindfulness%22">Mindfulness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Relaxation+techniques%22">Relaxation techniques</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Well-being%22">Well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: There is growing interest in how mindfulness and relaxation, taught in a school setting, can help children to manage their mental health and wellbeing. However, to date there has been a paucity of qualitative research seeking to explore children's experiences of these interventions. Focus groups were conducted with 65 students (aged 8 to 12) across seven schools participating in a randomised controlled trial in England in 2019. Participants had received either a brief Mindfulness-Based Exercises or Relaxation Techniques intervention, delivered by school staff on a universal (whole-class) basis. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants across both interventions cited the importance of having a quiet, calming atmosphere within the classroom to facilitate delivery, as well as the need for variation in activities. Many participants described the interventions as having a positive impact. However, some felt that the interventions could also induce feelings of annoyance, stress, and physical discomfort. The interventions differed in terms of some of the mechanisms behind positive impact identified by participants, with Relaxation Techniques reported as taking difficult feelings away and Mindfulness-Based Exercises described as enabling difficult feelings to be let go. The findings have implications for future intervention delivery in a school context. The findings identify how and why these interventions can work from children's perspectives (e.g., through reducing difficult feelings), as well as what can undermine positive impact (e.g., finding activities boring). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Contemporary School Psychology (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.) is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s40688-025-00567-2 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 91 Subjects: – SubjectFull: School mental health services Type: general – SubjectFull: School children Type: general – SubjectFull: Qualitative research Type: general – SubjectFull: Mindfulness Type: general – SubjectFull: Relaxation techniques Type: general – SubjectFull: Well-being Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: A Qualitative Study of English School Children's Experiences of Two Brief, Universal, Classroom-Based Mental Health and Wellbeing Interventions: Mindfulness and Relaxation. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Stapley, Emily – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hayes, Daniel – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: March, Anna – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mansfield, Rosie – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burrell, Kim – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ashworth, Emma – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Moltrecht, Bettina – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Stallard, Paul – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Thompson, Abigail – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Deighton, Jessica IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 21592020 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 30 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Contemporary School Psychology (Springer Science & Business Media B.V.) Type: main |
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