Mindfulness in School

Teachers’ Perceptions of Its Effects on Students with ADHD

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46661/ccselap-12718

Keywords:

Mindfulness, ADHD, teachers’ perceptions, self-regulation, school context

Abstract

This article explores the perceptions of primary school teachers whose students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) participated in school-based mindfulness programs. Using a mixed-methods approach — including a questionnaire administered to 138 teachers and a focus group — different domains of perception related to attention, impulsivity, behavior, ADHD, and the curricular integration of mindfulness were analyzed. Findings indicate generally positive perceptions regarding the impact of mindfulness interventions, particularly in relation to sustained attention, emotional self-regulation, and overall behavior. Teachers also reported improvements in the classroom environment, describing it as calmer and more cooperative. Qualitative data supported these findings and further highlighted structural limitations, such as lack of curricular time, insufficient teacher training, and shortage of specialized staff. Teachers did not perceive mindfulness as a replacement for other pedagogical or therapeutic strategies, but rather as a valuable complementary tool in addressing challenges associated with ADHD. The study suggests that regular mindfulness practice, when supported by adequate training and institutional support, may contribute to a more inclusive and humanized educational environment.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Almeida, M. T., Soares, M. J., & Maia, B. R. (2016). Perturbação de hiperatividade e défice de atenção: Da conceptualização à intervenção. Revista Portuguesa de Psicologia, 49(1), 51-64.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/

Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.

Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., ... & Devins, G. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230-241. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bph077

Carona, C., Silva, N., Pimentel, J., & Lima, M. (2020). Mindfulness para crianças em idade escolar: Revisão sistemática das evidências em contextos de língua portuguesa. Psicologia, Saúde & Doenças, 21(2), 448-466.

Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Costello, E., & Lawler, M. (2014). An exploratory study of the effects of mindfulness on perceived levels of stress among school-children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. International Journal of Emotional Education, 6(2), 21-39.

Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2011). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.

Florian, L., & Black-Hawkins, K. (2011). Exploring inclusive pedagogy. British Educational Research Journal, 37(5), 813-828. https://doi.org/10.1080/01411926.2010.501096

Jennings, P. A., Frank, J. L., Snowberg, K. E., Coccia, M. A., & Greenberg, M. T. (2013). Improving classroom learning environments by Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE): results of a randomized controlled trial. School Psychology Quarterly, 28(4), 374-390. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000035

Lee, Y.-C., Chen, C.-R., & Lin, K.-C. (2022). Effects of mindfulness-based interventions in children and adolescents with ADHD: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 5198. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215198

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.

Meppelink, R., de Bruin, E. I., & Bögels, S. M. (2016). Mindful parenting training in child psychiatric settings: Heightened parental mindfulness reduces parents' and children's psychopathology. Mindfulness, 7(3), 680-689. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0504-1

Orgilés, M., Morales, A., Delvecchio, E., Mazzeschi, C., & Espada, J. P. (2020). Immediate psychological effects of the COVID-19 quarantine in youth from Italy and Spain. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 579038. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579038

Polanczyk, G., de Lima, M. S., Horta, B. L., Biederman, J., & Rohde, L. A. (2007). The worldwide prevalence of ADHD: A systematic review and metaregression analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(6), 942-948. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.2007.164.6.942

Schonert-Reichl, K. A., & Roeser, R. W. (Eds.). (2016). Handbook of mindfulness in education: Integrating theory and research into practice. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3506-2

Semple, R. J., & Lee, J. (2011). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for anxious children: A manual for treating childhood anxiety. New Harbinger Publications.

Semple, R. J., Lee, J., Rosa, D., & Miller, L. (2009). A randomized trial of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for children: Promoting mindful attention to enhance social-emotional resiliency in children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 19, 218-229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-009-9301-y

Valero, M., Cebolla, A., & Colomer, C. (2022). Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Their Parents: A Randomized Control Trial. Journal of attention disorders, 26(5), 755-766. https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547211027636

van de Weijer-Bergsma, E., Formsma, A. R., de Bruin, E. I., & Bögels, S. M. (2012). The effectiveness of mindfulness training on behavioral problems and attentional functioning in adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(5), 775-787. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-011-9531-7

Weare, K. (2013). Developing mindfulness with children and young people: A review of the evidence and policy context. Journal of Children's Services, 8(2), 141-153. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-12-2012-0014

Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00603

Published

2026-06-29

How to Cite

Matos, T. (2026). Mindfulness in School: Teachers’ Perceptions of Its Effects on Students with ADHD. Comparative Cultural Studies: European and Latin American Perspectives, 1(22), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.46661/ccselap-12718