Project

The logos for Crestone Charter School and the Center for Contemplative Research.

Cultivating Mental Balance

An evaluation of introspective learning in middle-school students

Description

This study seeks to gain an in-depth phenomenological understanding of the integrated process between students’ reflective and introspective learning experiences and their well-being.

The Principal Investigator for this study is Anita Milicevic, Ph.D., Research and Education Director of the CCR (anita.milicevic@centerforcontemplativeresearch.org).

This study’s procedures have been approved by an independent institutional review board: Advarra IRB of Columbia, Maryland.

Goals

The aims of this work include the following:

  • to explore the quality of personal experiences of middle school students before and after participating in the Mental Balance (MB) curriculum;
  • to explore the impact of eudaimonia-based self-regulation on conative, attentional, cognitive, and emotional balance; and
  • to evaluate the impact of the MB curriculum on the quality of learning and educational change.

Outputs

The study is approved until September 2025 and involves 24 students aged 11–14. Qualitative data will be collected in two phases of the project, occurring before and after the MB curriculum is implemented.

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is central to this educational research as it enables a thorough exploration of students’ perspectives and understanding of the subtle nuances of educational contexts. The IPA aims to retain the reflectivity of personal experiences and explore social and linguistic constructs by analyzing student writings, researcher field notes, and teacher–student interviews.

The students of the Mental Balance seminars will be invited to respond to open-ended questions before and after the program. The evaluation will also include teacher feedback on student progress and reflective notes from the researcher facilitating the program. Research meetings and debriefings will be conducted with the teachers, and the entire process will be interactive. The interactive process of data collection involves focusing on student perspectives, establishing trust, actively listening, and observing. These methods help gain a contextual understanding by observing relevant situations or interactions. This interaction among students, teachers, and the researcher enriches student engagement in the learning process. Students actively participate in educational activities and storytelling, engage in discussions with peers, and learn to express their viewpoints and methods for fostering harmony, therefore learning to cultivate mental balance and overall well-being.