Effectiveness of universal school-based mindfulness training compared with normal school provision on teacher mental health and school climate: results of the MYRIAD cluster randomised controlled trial

This is the final version. Available on open access from BMJ Publishing Group via the DOI in this recordBackground: Education is broader than academic teaching. It includes teaching students socialemotional skills both directly and indirectly through a positive school climate. Objective: To evaluate if a universal school-based mindfulness training (SBMT) enhances teacher mental health and school climate. Methods: The MYRIAD parallel group, cluster RCT (Registration: ISRCTN86619085; Funding: Wellcome Trust [WT104908/Z/14/Z, WT107496/Z/15/Z]) recruited 85 schools (679 teachers) delivering social and emotional teaching across the UK. Schools (clusters) were randomised 1:1 to either continue this provision (TAU) or include universal SBMT. Data on teacher mental health and school climate were collected at prerandomisation, post-personal mindfulness and SBMT teacher training, after delivering SBMT to students, and at 1-year follow-up. Finding: Schools were recruited in academic years 2016/17 and 2017/18. Primary analysis (SBMT: 43 schools/362 teachers; TAU: 41 schools/310 teachers) showed that after delivering SBMT to students, SBMT vs TAU enhanced teachers’ mental health (burnout), and school climate. Adjusted standardised mean differences (SBMT minus TAU) were: exhaustion (-0.22; 95% CI: -0.38, -0.05); personal accomplishment (-0.21; -0.41, 0.02); school leadership (0.24; 0.04, 0.44); and respectful climate (0.26; 0.06, 0.47). Effects on burnout were not significant at 1-year follow-up. Effects on school climate were maintained only for respectful climate. No SBMT-related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: SBMT supports short-term changes in teacher burnout and school climate. Further work is required to explore how best to sustain improvements. Clinical implications: SBMT has limited effects on teachers’ mental and school climate. Innovative approaches to support and preserve teachers’ mental health and school climate are needed.Wellcome TrustNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR