MKM Info sheet - Mindful Kids Miami, Inc | Mindful Miami · The"Mindful"Athlete:"Secrets"to"...

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Visit us at our website: www.mindfulkidsmiami.org Mindfulness is a basic human quality. Training in mindfulness -the intentional cultivation of moment-by-moment, non-judgmental focused attention andawareness-hasspread from itsinitial western applications inmedicine to other fields,including education. The practice of mindfulness supports and strengthens the capacity of the mind to be fully inthe present moment instead of controlled by habits of worrying about the future or being stuck in the past. " Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on pu rpose, inthepresen tmomentandnon-judgmentally."-Jon Kabat-Zinn,Ph.D. Clinical studies demonstrate the efficacy and value of mindfulness in decreasing physical and psychological symptoms. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR ) and other Mindfulness- Based Interventions have been shown to help reduce stress, improve focus and concentration, decrease anxiety, prevent relapse of depression and substance abuse, improve relationships, strengthen emotional resilience,develop relaxation and a sense of well-being. Our Mission: Mindful Kids Miami, Inc. (MKM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2011, seeks to bring the benefits of mindfulness to children from pre-K through the 12th grade in Miami- Dade County. Mindful Kids Miami helps educators, health providers and caregivers teach mindfulness skills to children and youth in schools and other settings. Our Vision: Is to improve the lives of all children in the community by giving them access to mindfulness skills which reduce stress and anxiety, develop attention and focus, promote emotional regulation and impulse control, teach empathy and compassion, and create a sense of well-being. Our History: Valerie York-Zimmerman founded Mindful Kids Miami in 2011 with her husband Leonard A. Zimmerman, M.D., a long-time primary care physician in South Miami. MKM follows the principles of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program as directed by the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The MBSR Program and the Center was founded in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine emeritus, scientist, author and internationally acclaimed mindfulness teacher. Since 2011 MKM has trained hundreds of educators from both public and private schools within Miami-Dade County. Our Groundbreaking MKM – Miami-Dade County Public School Pilot Program: The 8-week Pilot Program was provided free of charge to M-DCPS teachers, counselors and social workers during the 2015-2016 school year. Many of the participants went on to take MKM’s 12-week Mindful Teacher Training Program, where teachers learn to weave mindfulness practices within their classrooms at the appropriate times throughout the school day. The exponential result is that thousands of children in classroom settings are benefitting from the mindfulness practices.

Transcript of MKM Info sheet - Mindful Kids Miami, Inc | Mindful Miami · The"Mindful"Athlete:"Secrets"to"...

Page 1: MKM Info sheet - Mindful Kids Miami, Inc | Mindful Miami · The"Mindful"Athlete:"Secrets"to" """Pure"Performance!! LocalMembers(Alberto!M.!Carvalho,!Superintendent,!MiamiDDade!County!Public!Schools!

 Visit  us  at  our  website:  www.mindfulkidsmiami.org  

 

Mindfulness is a basic human quality. Training in mindfulness -the intentional cultivation of moment-by-moment, non-judgmental focused attention andawareness-hasspread from itsinitial western applications inmedicine to other fields,including education. The practice of mindfulness supports and strengthens the capacity of the mind to be fully inthe present moment instead of controlled by habits of worrying about the future or being stuck in the past.

"Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on pu rpose, inthepresen tmomentandnon-judgmentally."-Jon Kabat-Zinn,Ph.D.

Clinical studies demonstrate the efficacy and value of mindfulness in decreasing physical and psychological symptoms. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR ) and other Mindfulness- Based Interventions have been shown to help reduce stress, improve focus and concentration, decrease anxiety, prevent relapse of depression and substance abuse, improve relationships, strengthen emotional resilience,develop relaxation and a sense of well-being.

Our Mission: Mindful Kids Miami, Inc. (MKM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in

2011, seeks to bring the benefits of mindfulness to children from pre-K through the 12th grade in Miami- Dade County. Mindful Kids Miami helps educators, health providers and caregivers teach mindfulness skills to children and youth in schools and other settings.

Our Vision: Is to improve the lives of all children in the community by giving them access to mindfulness

skills which reduce stress and anxiety, develop attention and focus, promote emotional regulation and impulse control, teach empathy and compassion, and create a sense of well-being.

Our History: Valerie York-Zimmerman founded Mindful Kids Miami in 2011 with her husband Leonard A.

Zimmerman, M.D., a long-time primary care physician in South Miami. MKM follows the principles of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program as directed by the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The MBSR Program and the Center was founded in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Professor of Medicine emeritus, scientist, author and internationally acclaimed mindfulness teacher. Since 2011 MKM has trained hundreds of educators from both public and private schools within Miami-Dade County.

Our Groundbreaking MKM – Miami-Dade County Public School Pilot Program: The 8-week Pilot Program was provided free of charge to M-DCPS teachers, counselors and social workers during the 2015-2016 school year. Many of the participants went on to take MKM’s 12-week Mindful Teacher Training Program, where teachers learn to weave mindfulness practices within their classrooms at the appropriate times throughout the school day. The exponential result is that thousands of children in classroom settings are benefitting from the mindfulness practices.      

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Teacher Testimonials from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and the Mindful Teacher’s Training Program (MTTP)  

“The  Mindfulness  Program  (MBSR)  taught  me  how  to  breathe  easier,  walk  lighter  and  think  clearer.  I  will  take  what  I  have  learned  and  share  it  with  my  loved  ones,  my  students,  and  anyone  who  wants  to  live  mindfully.”    –  Keisha  Williams,  teacher,  Madie  Ives  Community  Elementary  

“The  Mindfulness  Program  (MBSR)  taught  me  how  to  be  aware  and  connect  to  the  present  moment  in  my  daily  activities.  It  also  taught  me  how  to  be  more  compassionate  with  others  and  reduced  my  stress  

level.”  –  Carlos  Columbie,  teacher,  Palm  Springs  North  Elementary    

“I  am  privileged  to  have  participated  in  the  MBSR  course.  Be  ready  for  an  inner  journey  that  will  be  hard  work,  but  with  continued  practice  life  changing.”  –  Jeanette  D’  Amour,  teacher,  Center  for  Modern  Language  Elementary  

“The  training  was  a  wonderful  experience.  I  had  read  about  Mindfulness,  but  going  through  the  actual  experience  was  life  enhancing  beyond  all  expectations.”  –  Alina  Diaz,  teacher,  SCPO  Charter  School  Operations  

“This  program  has  changed  my  life  and  the  lives  of  my  students.  We  now  begin  each  class  breathing  and  doing  mindfulness  movements.  I  have  definitely  noticed  more  calmness  within  the  class.”  –  Glenda  Algaze,  Health  Academy  Head,  Miami  Lakes  Technical  Senior  High  School  

“This  course  (MTTP)  provided  me  with  practical  tools  that  allowed  me  to  introduce  the  practice  of  mindfulness  to  my  students  in  a  fun  and  creative  way.  The  deepest  gift...  a  sense  of  peace  within,  a  heightened  awareness,  and  the  comforting  knowledge  that  I  am  a  more  compassionate  teacher  today!”    –  Jenny  Lleweyn-­‐Jones,  teacher,  George  Washington  Carver  Middle  School    “MTTP  has  changed  my  opinion  of  what  is  really  important  to  teach  and  master  in  life.  It  has  changed  my  daily  routines  with  my  school  children  making  us  all  calmer  and  more  receiving  to  everything  that  is  going  around  us  every  day.  I  couldn't  imagine  my  life  anymore  without  mindfulness.  It  is  like  the  air  that  

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I  breathe  mindfully  in  and  out  noticing  all  the  sensations  in  my  body  and  life  that  are  happening.  This  moment  is  the  moment  to  feel  and  live!”  –  Susana  Sanchez,  teacher,  Mater  Academy      Phase  1:  Mindfulness-­‐Based  Stress  Reduction  (MBSR)  Program  

Mindfulness  is  a  way  of  learning  to  relate  directly  to  whatever  is  unfolding  in  your  life,  moment-­‐to-­‐moment,  with  awareness,  compassion,  acceptance,  and  curiosity.  The  Mindfulness-­‐Based  Stress  Reduction  (MBSR)  Program  is  an  8-­‐week  intensive  training  in  mindfulness  practice,  which  meets  on  a  weekly  basis  for  2.5  hours,  and  includes  a  day  retreat.    

Since  its  inception  by  Dr.  Jon  Kabat-­‐Zinn  in  1979,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people  have  completed  the  MBSR  program  and  learned  how  to  use  their  innate  resources  and  abilities  to  respond  more  effectively  to  stress,  pain,  and  illness.  MBSR  is  a  mainstream,  scientifically  informed  approach  that  operates  in  harmony  with  any  belief  system  or  spiritual  experience  and  can  be  practiced  by  people  of  all  backgrounds  with  no  prior  experience.  

Phase  2:  Mindful  Teachers’  Training  Program  (MTTP)  

Mindful  Teachers’  Training  Program  (MTTP)  is  a  12-­‐week  fun  and  experiential  training  for  educators  preparing  them  to  teach  age-­‐appropriate  mindfulness  practices,  games,  activities,  and  skills  based  on  social-­‐emotional  learning.  These  methods  train  children  and  youth  to  pay  attention,  strengthen  focus,  increase  impulse  control,  regulate  behavior,  and  cultivate  tolerance,  compassion  and  empathy  for  themselves  and  others.  (MBSR  is  a  required  pre-­‐requisite)  

The  Mindful  Teachers  Training  Program  is  divided  into  four  modules:  

Mindful  Movement  brings  children  into  an  awareness  of  their  bodies  and  changing  physical  sensations  as  they  move  through  various  poses  which  take  them  out  of  automatic  pilot;  it  also  teaches  awareness  of  breathing.  

Mindful  Games  &  Exercises  teaches  children  how  to  pay  attention  and  to  increase  focus.  

Mindful  Relaxation  relaxes  children  through  guided  awareness  of  breathing,  felt  sensations  in  the  body,  feelings,  etc.,  which  helps  regulate  over-­‐stimulation  and  teaches  proper  breathing.  

Kindness  Practices  increases  compassion  and  empathy  in  children  both  for  themselves  and  others;  leads  to  increased  understanding  of  differences  as  well  as  a  sense  of  connection  with  themselves,  others,  and  the  world  around  them.  

Research  demonstrates  that  mindfulness  training  for  children  and  teens:  

Increases  Attention  &  Focus  –  resulting  in  higher  academic  achievement.  Reduces  Stress  –  allowing  kids  to  learn  more  and  perform  better.  Improves  Impulse  Control  –  increasing  teaching  time  in  the  classroom.  Develops  Emotional  Regulation  –  teaching  children  to  “respond”  rather  than  “react”.  Builds  Empathy  &  Compassion  –  cultivating  greater  understanding  of  cultural,  religious  and  sexual  diversity  as  well  as  reducing  cruelty,  bullying,  and  violence  and,  hence,  safer  and  happier  schools.  

For  further  information  about  MBSR/MTTP  and  other  mindfulness  programs  Please  contact  us  at:  [email protected]  

Phone    305-­‐270-­‐3262  or  visit  website:  www.mindfulkidsmiami.org  

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Fall 2016-2017 School Year REGISTRATION BEGINS AUGUST 4, 2016

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)A Professional Development Programfor Miami-Dade County Public Schools

M-DCPS Educators Participation Fee $100

Mounting scientific evidence supports mindfulness-based programs help teachers reduce stress and burnout, anxiety disorders and depression, and improve immune function, attention, memory, executive function, compassion, resilience, among other benefits.

Classes will be taught once weekly for 8-weeks, 2.5 Hours: • Orientation for All Participants on September 17th from 10am to 11:30am• Saturday, Sept. 24 - Nov. 19, 10:00 - 12:30pm, Riviera Presbyterian Church• Tuesdays, Sept. 27 - Nov 15, 5:00 – 7:30 pm, Miami Senior High School• Wednesdays, Sept. 28 - Nov. 16, 10:00 – 12:30 pm, Riviera Presbyterian Church• Wednesdays, Sept. 28 - Nov. 16, 6:00 – 8:30 pm, Riviera Presbyterian Church• Thursdays, Sept. 29 - Nov. 17, 5:00 – 7:30 pm, Feller Room, Above Palmetto Bay Library• Day Retreat for All Participants on November 5, from 9am to 4:30pm

Participants completing the MBSR Program are eligible to receive 27.5 Master Plan Points (MPP's).

For more information about how you, your colleagues, and/or your school can participate in this program, please contact Mindful Kids Miami at

[email protected]

www.MindfulKidsMiami.org

Mindful Kids Miami (MKM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the benefits of mindfulness to all children, grades Pre-K through 12, in Miami-Dade County. The intention of Mindful Kids Miami is to teach

mindfulness skills to children and adults in schools, hospitals and institutional settings.

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Mindful  Kids  Miami,  Inc.  BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS  

   

Officers  President:  Michael  C.  Cesarano,  Michael  C.  Cesarano,  P.A.  Secretary:  Linda  McKenzie,  Mindful  Teachers’  Training  Program  Lead  Teacher  Treasurer:  Olivier  de  Lavalette,  Advocate    Directors  Judith  D.  Aronson-­‐Ramos,  M.D.,  Developmental  &  Behavioral  Pediatrics  of  South  Florida  and  

Centerfor  Autism  and  Related  Disabilities  John  Davies,  Ed.D.,  Headmaster,  Miami  Country  Day  School  Valerie  DeWitt,  Teacher  Tess  Doheny,  Advocate  David  J.  Lee,  Ph.D.,  Professor/Researcher,  Department  of  Public  Health  Sciences,  University  of  

Miami,  Miller  School  of  Medicine  Renee  Lopez-­‐Cantera,  MBA,  Miami  Herald  Media  Company  Kasia  Maguire,  M.H.C.,  Fertility  Counseling  Center  of  South  Florida  Ashwin  Mehta,  M.D.,  M.P.H.,  Assistant  Professor  of  Clinical  Medicine,  University  of  Miami,  

Miller  School  of  Medicine,  Sylvester  Comprehensive  Cancer  Center  Ian  M.  Reiss,  M.D.,  retired  vascular  surgeon,  Baptist  Health  System  Silvia  R.  Rojas,  retired  Treasurer,  Miami-­‐Dade  County  Public  Schools  Shelley  F.  Stroleny,  M.A.,  Principal,  G.W.  Carver  Middle  School    

HONORARY  BOARD    National  Members  U.S.  Congressman  Tim  Ryan  of  Ohio,  Advocate  and  Author,  A  Mindful  Nation  George  T.  Mumford,  Sports  Psychology  Consultant  and  Author,  The  Mindful  Athlete:  Secrets  to        Pure  Performance    Local  Members  Alberto  M.  Carvalho,  Superintendent,  Miami-­‐Dade  County  Public  Schools  Constance  M.  Fernandez,  Advocate  David  Lawrence  Jr.,  President,  The  Early  Childhood  Initiative,  The  Children’s  Movement  of      

Florida  Hon.  Steve  Leifman,  Miami-­‐Dade  County  Criminal  Division  Court  Judge,  Special  Advisor  and  

Chair  of  Sub-­‐committee  &  Task  Force  on  Criminal  Justice  and  Mental  Health  for  Florida  Supreme  Court  

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Brief  Overview  of  Some  Mindfulness  Studies  and  Outcomes  Re  Children  and  Teachers    

A. Meta  study  on  Mindfulness  

1. Britta  K.  Hölzel,  Sara  W.  Lazar,  Tim  Gard,  Zev  Schuman-­‐Olivier,  David  R.  Vago  and  Ulrich  Ott  (2011) - How  Does  Mindfulness  Meditation  Work?  Proposing  Mechanisms  of  Action  From  a  Conceptual  and  Neural  Perspective  -­‐  doi:  10.1177/1745691611419671    (https://bangor.rl.talis.com/items/8B20FC14-­‐B16D-­‐CB80-­‐14BA-­‐AF48E322ABA7.html  )  

B. Research  on  impact  of  Mindfulness  with  Teachers:    

1. Jennifer  E.  Sharp,  Patricia  A.  Jennings  (2015)  -­‐  New  Research:  Strengthening  Teacher  Presence  Through  Mindfulness:  What  Educators  Say  About  the  Cultivating  Awareness  and  Resilience  in  Education  (CARE)  Program  –  DOI:  10.1007/s12671-­‐015-­‐0474-­‐8    (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-­‐015-­‐0474-­‐8?)  • The  classrooms  of  the  teachers  who  received  CARE  were  rated  as  more  emotionally  supportive  compared  to  

those  who  did  not  do  the  program.  The  interactions  in  the  classroom  were  more  emotionally  positive  and  the  teachers  demonstrated  greater  sensitivity  to  their  students’  needs  than  controls.  The  impact  of  participating  in  the  CARE  program  went  beyond  each  individual  teacher.  The  study  shows  that  those  participating  also  improved  the  quality  of  their  classrooms.    

2. Roeser,  R.  W.,  Schonert-­‐Reichl,  K.  A.,  Jha,  A.,  Cullen,  M.,  Wallace,  L.,  Wilensky,  R.,  Oberle,  E.,  Thomson,  K.,  Taylor,  C.,  &  Harrison,  J.  (2013,  April  29).  Mindfulness  Training  and  Reductions  in  Teacher  Stress  and  Burnout:  Results  From  Two  Randomized,  Waitlist-­‐Control  Field  Trials.  Journal  of  Educational  Psychology.  Advance  online  publication.  doi:  10.1037/a0032093  (http://www.amishi.com/lab/wp-­‐content/uploads/Jha_MindfulnessTrainingAndReductionsInTeacherStress_Apr2013.pdf  )  • Teachers  randomized  to  Mindfulness  Training  showed  greater  mindfulness,  focused  attention  and  working  

memory  capacity,  and  occupational  self-­‐compassion,  as  well  as  lower  levels  of  occupational  stress  and  burnout  at  post-­‐program  and  follow-­‐up,  than  did  those  in  the  control  condition.  

3. Cynthia  Taylor,  Jessica  Harrison,  Kyla  Haimovitz,  Eva  Oberle,  Kimberly  Thomson,  Kimberly  Schonert-­‐Reichl,  Robert  W.  Roeser  (2016)  -­‐  Examining  Ways  That  a  Mindfulness-­‐Based  Intervention  Reduces  Stress  in  Public  School  Teachers:  a  Mixed-­‐Methods  Study  -­‐  doi:10.1007/s12671-­‐015-­‐0425-­‐4  (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282543602_Examining_Ways_That_a_Mindfulness-­‐Based_Intervention_Reduces_Stress_in_Public_School_Teachers_a_Mixed-­‐Methods_Study  )  

   

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 • Interview  results  showed  a  trend  for  teachers  in  the  Mindfulness  Based  Interventions,  to  report  more  adaptive  

strategies  for  coping  with  job  stress,  and  a  tendency  to  evaluate  challenging  students  in  a  more  positive  affective  light.  Implications  

 4. Flook  L,  Goldberg  SB,  Pinger  L,  Bonus  K,  Davidson  RJ.  (2013)  -­‐  Mindfulness  for  teachers:  A  pilot  

study  to  assess  effects  on  stress,  burnout  and  teaching  efficacy.  7: 182–195. doi: 10.1111/mbe.12026 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24324528)  • Despite the crucial role of teachers in fostering children's academic learning and social-emotional well-being,

addressing teacher stress in the classroom remains a significant challenge in education. The present study reports result from a randomized controlled pilot trial of a modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course (mMBSR) adapted specifically for teachers. Results suggest the course may be a promising intervention, with participants showing significant reductions in psychological symptoms and burnout, improvements in observer-rated classroom organization and performance on a computer task of affective attentional bias, and increases in self-compassion. In contrast, control group participants showed declines in cortisol functioning over time and marginally significant increases in burnout. Furthermore, changes in mindfulness were correlated in the expected direction with changes across several outcomes (psychological symptoms, burnout, sustained attention) in the intervention group. Implications of these findings for the training and support of teachers are discussed

5.  Holzel  et  al.  (2008);  Lazar  et  al.  (2005);  Luders  et  al.  (2009)  Preliminary  findings  showed  correlations  between  mindfulness  training  and  increased  thickness  of  cortical  structures  (i.e.,  grey  matter)  associated  with  attention,  working  memory,  processing  sensory  input,  executive  function  (EF),  self-­‐reflection,  empathy,  and  affective   regulation.  

 

These  early  findings  are  now  buttressed  by  a  more  recent  study  at  the  Psychiatric  Neuroimaging  Research  Program  of  Massachusetts  General  Hospital  that  was  first  to  document  meditation-­‐produced  changes  over  time  in  the  brain's  grey  matter.  Effect  of  an  8-­‐week  MBSR  training  on  brain  regions  associated  with  memory,  sense  of  self,  empathy,  and  stress.    Neuro-­‐imaging  showed  increased  grey  matter  in  hippocampus,  a  region  central  to  learning  and  memory  and  in  structures  associated  with  self-­‐awareness,  compassion  and  introspection.  

 

6. Davidson,  Kabat-­‐Zinn,  et  al.  (2003)  (University  of  Wisconsin  at  Madison,  Waisman  Center  for  Brain  Imaging  and  Behavior).  Randomized  controlled  trial  of  a  healthy  workplace  group  demonstrated  that  an  8-­‐week  MBSR  training  reduced  the  subjective  sense  of  stress,  enhanced  the  subjective  sense  of  well-­‐being,  improved  immune  function,  decreased  brain  activity  in  regions  associated  with  negative  emotion  and  increased  activity  in  regions  associated  with  positive  emotion.  

 

7. Mindful  Schools,  Oakland,  CA  annual  survey  of  teacher  training  graduates       reported:  • 92%  felt  improvement  in   stress  level   (their  phase  1  training)  • 91%  felt  abler  to  connect  with  youth   (after  their  phase  2  training)  • 85%  felt  more  job  satisfaction  • 94%  saw  improvement  in  student  focus  • 96%  saw  improvement  in  student   self-­‐regulation  • 86%  saw  improvement  in  student  compassion  • 67%  saw  improvement  in  student  disciplinary  referrals  • 57%  saw  improvement  in  student  grades  

   

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C. Research  on  impact  of  Mindfulness  with  Children:    

1. Erica  M.S.  Sibinga,  Lindsey  Webb,  Sharon  R.  Ghazarian,  Jonathan  M.  Ellen  (2015)  -­‐  School-­‐Based  Mindfulness  Instruction:  An  RCT  doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-2532  • These  findings  support  the  hypothesis  that  mindfulness  instruction  improves  

psychological  functioning  and  may  ameliorate  the  negative  effects  of  stress  and  reduce  trauma-­‐associated  symptoms  among  vulnerable  urban  middle  school  students.    

2. Jacinda  K.  Dariotis  ,  Roxanne  Mirabal-­‐Beltran,  Fallon  Cluxton-­‐Keller,  Laura  Feagans  Gould,  Mark  T.  Greenberg,  Tamar  Mendelson  (2015)    -­‐  A  Qualitative  Evaluation  of  Student  Learning  and  Skills  Use  in  a  School-­‐Based  Mindfulness  and  Yoga  Program  – doi:  10.1007/s12671-­‐015-­‐0463-­‐y  (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-­‐015-­‐0463-­‐y  ) • This  study  addresses  two  primary  research  questions:  (1)  What  skills  did  students  

learn,  retain,  and  utilize  outside  the  program?  and  (2)  What  changes  did  classroom  teachers  expect  and  observe  among  program  recipients?  Four  major  themes  related  to  skill  learning  and  application  emerged  as  follows:  (1)  youths  retained  and  utilized  program  skills  involving  breath  work  and  poses;  (2)  knowledge  about  health  benefits  of  these  techniques  promoted  self-­‐utilization  and  sharing  of  skills;  (3)  youths  developed  keener  emotional  appraisal  that,  coupled  with  new  and  improved  emotional  regulation  skills,  helped  de-­‐escalate  negative  emotions,  promote  calm,  and  reduce  stress;  and  (4)  youths  and  teachers  reported  realistic  and  optimistic  expectations  for  future  impact  of  acquired  program  skills.  We  discuss  implications  of  these  findings  for  guiding  future  research  and  practice.  

3. Christopher  A.  Pepping,  Megan  Duvenage,  Timothy  J.  Cronin,  Anthony  Lyons  (2016)  -­‐    Adolescent  mindfulness  and  psychopathology:  The  role  of  emotion  regulation  -­‐  doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.04.089  -­‐    • In  brief,  dispositional  mindfulness  appears  to  be  a  protective  individual  difference  

characteristic  during  adolescence,  and  capacity  for  emotion  regulation  may  be  implicated  in  its  effects  on  specific  symptoms  of  psychopathology.  

4. Fung,  J.,  Guo,  S.,  Jin,  J.,  Bear,  L.,  Lau,  A.  (2016) -­‐  A  Pilot  Randomized  Trial  Evaluating  a  School-­‐Based  Mindfulness  Intervention  for  Ethnic  Minority  Youth.    –  doi:  10.1007/s12671-­‐016-­‐0519-­‐7  http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-016-0519-7 ) • This  study  examined  the  feasibility  and  efficacy  of  a  12-­‐week  mindfulness  

intervention  in  a  wait-­‐list  controlled  trial  of  19  Latino-­‐American  and  Asian-­‐American  middle  school  students  with  elevated  mood  symptoms.  ANCOVA  analyses  indicated  that  immediate  treatment  was  associated  with  significant  reductions  in  parent-­‐reported  externalizing  problems  at  post-­‐treatment  and  marginally  significant  reductions  in  youth-­‐reported  internalizing  problems.  The  pooled  pre-­‐to-­‐post  treatment  analyses  revealed  that  mindfulness  led  to  a  reduction  in  parent-­‐reported  externalizing  problems,  youth-­‐reported  internalizing  problems,  and  youth-­‐reported  use  of  expressive  suppression.  Overall,  this  pilot  study  offers  feasibility  and  efficacy  data  for  mindfulness-­‐based  program  as  a  potential  treatment  for  behavior  problems  for  ethnic  minority  youth  with  elevated  mood  symptoms.  Implications  of  the  findings,  as  well  as  considerations  in  engaging  low-­‐income  ethnic  minority  families  are  discussed.    

5. Crescentini  C,  Capurso  V,  Furlan  S  and  Fabbro  F  (2016)  Mindfulness-­‐Oriented  Meditation  for  Primary  School  Children:  Effects  on  Attention  and  Psychological  Well-­‐Being.  -­‐  Front.  Psychol.  7:805.  doi:  10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00805    (http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00805/full )  

• From  the  teacher’s  reports  we  found  a  specific  positive  effect  of  the  mindfulness-­‐meditation  training  in  reducing  attention  problems  and  also  positive  effects  of  both  trainings  in  reducing  children’s  internalizing  problems    

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 6. Willoughby  B.  Britton  ,  Nathaniel  E.  Lepp,  Halsey  F.  Niles,  Tomas  Rocha,  Nathan  E.  

Fisher,    (2012)  -­‐  A  randomized  controlled  pilot  trial  of  classroom-­‐based  mindfulness  

meditation  compared  to  an  active  control  condition  in  sixth-­‐grade  children  -­‐  doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2014.03.002  (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022440514000296  )  

• The current study is a pilot trial to examine the effects of a nonelective, classroom-based, teacher-implemented, mindfulness meditation intervention on standard clinical measures of mental health and affect in middle school children. A total of 101 healthy sixth-grade students (55 boys, 46 girls) were randomized to either an Asian history course with daily mindfulness meditation practice (intervention group) or an African history course with a matched experiential activity (active control group). Self-reported measures included the Youth Self Report (YSR), a modified Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Measure –Revised. Both groups decreased significantly on clinical syndrome subscales and affect but did not differ in the extent of their improvements. Meditators were significantly less likely to develop suicidal ideation or thoughts of self-harm than controls. These results suggest that mindfulness training may yield both unique and non-specific benefits that are shared by other novel activities.  

 7. Napoli  et  al.  (2005)  -­‐  RCT  of  elementary  school  children  grades  1  through  3.  

Participants  showed  reductions  in  test  anxiety  and  improvements  in  teacher-­‐rated  attention,  social  skills,  and  objective  measures  of  selective  attention.  

 

8. Flook  et  al.  (2010)  -­‐RCT  of  an  8-­‐week  program  for  children  in  grades  2  and  3.  Children  showed  significantly  improved  overall  executive  function  capacities.  Saltzman  &  Goldin  (2008)  (Stanford  University)  -­‐  MBSR  for  school-­‐age  children  

   

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 D. Mindful  Kids  Miami  Research  Update:    Mindful Kids Miami (MKM) has been conducting surveys in all of its IJ-MBSR Program classes over the last two years. For 2014 these studies were overseen and evaluated by Sharon Theroux, Ph.D., a neuro-psychologist, former MKM Board member and student of Valerie York-Zimmerman. All participants completed the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), an anxiety survey, and a compassion survey. Outcomes were consistent in all groups. Following the Phase 1 IJ-MBSR Program training, participants showed significant improvements in: 1. reductions  in  stress  and  anxiety  2. increased  compassion  3. improved  observational  skills  (5  Facets)  4. increased  ability  to  act  with  awareness  (5  Facets)  5. reductions  in  judgmental  thoughts  and  behaviors  (5  Facets)    Note:  Baer  (2008)  Prior  research  has  revealed  that  the  total  FFMQ  score  is  associated  with  positive  well-­‐being,  something  that  is  necessary  to  help  reduce  burnout.  Research  indicates  that  higher  scores  on  the  "observing"  facet  are  associated  with  good  psychological  adjustment.    Following  the  Phase  2  Mindful  Teachers  Training  Program  (MTTP)  training  to  learn  how  to  teach  mindfulness  to  children  from  grades  Pre-­‐K  through  12,  outcomes  continued  to  be  consistent  and  participants  showed  significant  improvements  in  the  last  two  of  the  five  facets  of  mindfulness:    6. increased  ability  to  describe  their  thoughts  and  emotions  (5  Facets)  7. increased  ability  to  be  non-­‐reactive  (5  Facets)    The  other  aforementioned  improvements  remained  steady.    In  2015  MKM's  Research  Committee,  chaired  by  MKM  Board  of  Directors  member  David  J.  Lee,  Ph.D.,  Professor  and  Researcher,  Department  of  Public  Health  Sciences,  University  of  Miami  Miller  School  of  Medicine,  at  Sylvester  Comprehensive  Cancer  Center,  collaborated  with  the  Research  Department  at  the  Center  for  Mindfulness  (CFM),  University  of  Massachusetts  Medical  School,  directed  by  Judson  Brewer,  M.D.,  Ph.D.,  Associate  Professor  of  Medicine  and  Psychiatry  at  the  UMass  Medical  School,  in  MKM  –  M-­‐DCPS  Pilot  Program  Research  Study.      The  purpose  of  the  study  is  to  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  MKM's  2015-­‐2016  training  program  in  partnership  with  M-­‐DCPS  entitled:  "Inner  Journey  -­‐  Mindfulness-­‐Based  Stress  Reduction  (IJ-­‐MBSR),  A  Professional  Development  Pilot  Program  for  M-­‐DCPS  Educators."  The  study  protocol  was  developed  to  determine  if  IJ-­‐MBSR  training  results  in  a  reduction  of  stress  levels,  reduction  of  burnout,  and  improves  mood,  levels  of  compassion,  and  the  cultivation  of  a  more  mindful  orientation  to  life.      Preliminary  results  from  the  fall  2015  pilot  program  participant  who  volunteered  to  participate  in  the  research  study  indicate  significant  improvement  in  mindfulness  levels.    Two  measures  of  mindfulness  were  administered:  the  short  form  of  the  Five-­‐Facet  Mindfulness  Questionnaire  and  the  short-­‐form  of  the  Self-­‐Compassion  Scale.    For  both  scales  overall  mindfulness  levels  increased  significantly  from  pre-­‐test  levels.    In  addition,  there  were  significant  increases  in  all  sub-­‐scales  indicating  that  educators  showed  improvement  in  all  facets  of  mindfulness.  Higher  levels  of  self-­‐reported  mindfulness  in  response  to  mindfulness  training  have  shown  to  be  correlated  with  a  range  of  psychological  benefits.