CHAPTER 8: SCHOOl-BASEd MindFulnESS PROTOCOlS • 165regular practitioners, a desire to teach mindfulness to students often supports an ongoing
practice or initiates a practice. Weare (2013) reports that teachers experience improvements
in physical and mental health and reductions in burnout as they integrate mindfulness
into their lives and classrooms. She cites research on teachers in training and outcomes
of mindfulness education programs for teachers (Weare, 2013). Teaching mindfulness in
your school and/or your classroom will likely help you feel better and experience less
burnout.
Can Mindfulness do Harm?
In general, mindfulness-based studies are believed to be salutogenic. That is, they promote
health and come with little if any risk. However, there is currently no conclusive body of
evidence to confirm this is the case. To answer this question, Dobkin, Irving, and Amar
(2012) reviewed literature pertaining to attrition and adverse effects following participa-
tion in MBSR and MSCT. Overall, after their extensive review of programs, the authors
reported that they could not provide an empirically based answer to the question. The
authors hypothesize that those who may not benefit from programs like MBCT may be more
likely to drop out. Dropping out was associated with history of suicide, chronic pain, higher
obsessive-compulsive scores, brooding, cognitive and emotional reactivity, stress, and a
number of medical symptoms (Dobkin et al., 2012). They also noted that there are some case
studies of individuals who manifested various mental health issues after meditation experi-
ences; however, details on this were lacking.
In a qualitative study of 30 male participants (aged 20 to 60-plus), with experience in
meditation ranging from 1 to 20 or more years, Lomas, Cartwright, Edginton, and Ridge
(2015) found that along with outcomes associated with well-being, meditation was also asso-
ciated with substantial difficulties. Specifically, four main problems were uncovered, listed
in order of increasing severity: Meditation was a challenging skill to learn and practice (e.g.,
feeling trapped, self-doubt, ongoing struggle, inattention, back pain, early attempts very
challenging, a skill that needed to be constantly practiced); participants were met with trou-
bling thoughts and feelings that were difficult to manage (e.g., engagement with troubling
thoughts, stuck in negative quality of thoughts, surprise at uncovered emotions); medita-
tion reportedly worsened mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, increases aware-
ness of sensitivity); and in a few cases, meditation was associated with psychotic episodes
(e.g., alienation, fixation on extreme emotions; Lomas et al., 2015). It is important to note that
the authors placed these negative experiences within the context of the meditators reporting
a majority (75%) of positive experience and outcomes. Further, participants reported that
experiencing negative emotions, thoughts, and discomfort seems to be part of the process of
connecting with self and growth (Lomas et al., 2015).
These findings reported among adult populations shed light on the risks and negative
experiences that may arise for some. More research is needed exploring risk among children
and adolescents with attention to high-risk groups detailing the type of meditation, dosage,
and context of practice. Dobkin et al. (2012) suggest the following:
- Screen potential participants for psychiatric problems, addiction, and posttraumatic stress
disorder. - Ensure that those with psychopathology (e.g., anxiety or mood disorder) are being treated
appropriately by a qualified mental health professional.