ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a critical review of the current state of research on mindfulness-based programme implementation in educational settings both at the elementary and high school levels. In addition to an overview of research on the benefits associated with school-based mindfulness-based programmes, a comparison of their effectiveness on psycho-social and educational outcomes for students at both levels will be included. Informed by this review, specific recommendations are made regarding best practice guidelines for mindfulness-based programme implementation in educational settings. This includes an exploration of the benefits of using a universal whole-school approach and the importance of considering the impact of different aspects of mindfulness-based programme delivery (e.g., students' developmental periods, the type of intervention facilitator, and the type of intervention being offered). Recommendations regarding directions for future research are made, including the need for rigorous experimental designs (e.g., randomized control designs, inclusion of active control groups), the importance of frequency and duration of practice, and assessment of mindfulness as an outcome. In summary, the current chapter provides an important synthesis of the research on mindfulness-based programme implementation in educational settings as well as concrete recommendations for future implementation and research.
