Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims: Mindfulness is a technique that is used to reduce stress and promote psychological well-being. The present study was conducted to determine the Effectiveness of training the mindfulness skills on professional stress and psychological well-being of female teachers in Qazvin. 

Methods: This study is a semi-experimental one with pretest-posttest and a control group, which its population consisted of all female high school teachers in city of Qazvin. The sample size was 30 individuals that were selected by voluntarily sampling method. Osipow’s Professional Stress Questionnaire and Ryff’s Psychological Well-being Questionnaire (short form) were used as the instruments of measurement. At first, all 30 participants completed the questionnaires (pre-test). Then the participants were divided into experimental and control groups (15 individuals in each group). The experimental group received 8 sessions of training mindfulness skills, but the control group did not receive any training and was on the waiting list. Next, both groups completed the questionnaires (post-test). 

Results: The mean score of pre-test in professional stress in experimental group was 27.34±133.93 and in control group was 22.55±127.33, and the mean score of post-test in experimental group was 19.73±100.86 and in control group was 17.86±128.46). The mean score of pre-test in psychological well-being in experimental group was 7.46±88.06, and in control group was 11.02±85.86 and the mean score of post-test in psychological well-being in experimental group was 5.15±97.13 and in control group was 9.17±85.60. The results of analysis of covariance showed that professional stress of teachers in the experimental group compared to control group after the intervention has significantly reduced, and the components of professional stress and psychological well-being increased in the experimental group compared to those of the control group (P<0.05). 

Conclusion: Training the mindfulness skills was effective in reducing professional stress and enhancing psychological well-being of female teachers in Qazvin. Therefore, we can take steps to increase psychological well-being and reduce teachers' professional stress by holding the mindfulness skill training through in-service trainings.