Journaling: A More Mindful Approach to Researching a Mindfulness-Based Intervention in a Junior School

Joseph, Stephen; Sellman, Edward; Crawford, Andrea

Abstract

Mindfulness, often defined as present-moment awareness, has in recent years become a topic of multidisciplinary interest. This article addresses methodological issues for researching mindfulness and education. It is argued that there are advantages to coherence between ontological and epistemological positions when designing research studies. The limitations of positivistic methods for researching mindfulness are discussed. We then advocate the qualitative method of journaling as a more holistic means of providing in-depth access to the unique and often underexplored inner life of those experiencing a mindfulness intervention. Drawing upon pupils and teachers' views at a junior school receiving low-intensity mindfulness training, we show how journaling illuminates both its impact upon individuals alongside implementational issues for the school, in a manner more consistent with mindfulness' emphasis on such terms as 'awareness' and 'being'.

Citation

Joseph, S., Sellman, E., & Crawford, A. (2021). Journaling: A More Mindful Approach to Researching a Mindfulness-Based Intervention in a Junior School. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, Article 160940692110147. https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211014771

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 6, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Oct 30, 2021
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2021
• Deposit Date: Apr 20, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 23, 2021
• Journal: International Journal of Qualitative Methods
• Electronic ISSN: 1609-4069
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Article Number: 160940692110147
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211014771
• Keywords: Journaling, Reflexivity, Mindfulness, Mindfulness-based interventions, Schools, Children, Well-being, Education
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5485099
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/16094069211014771