The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training on Psychological Well-being and Academic Engagement for Students with Low Academic Achievement

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of mindfulness training on the psychological well-being and academic engagement of low-achieving female high school pupils. The research method was quasi-experimental and included a pre-test, post-test, follow-up, and control group. The statistical population included all secondary school students in Tehran’s 14th district during the 2019-2020 school year. 30 individuals with low academic achievement in the first semester of education (GPA: low score 15) were selected and randomly assigned to experimental (15 individuals) and control (15 individuals) groups using a multi-stage random sampling method. Scale of Psychological Well-Being (RSPWB) and Academic Engagement Questionnaire (AEQ) were assessment instruments. Eight sessions were devoted to mindfulness instruction for the participants. Following the training, the post-test and follow-up were administered two months later. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures and software (SPSS-24). Mindfulness training was found to be effective in enhancing psychological well-being and academic engagement. It appears that mindfulness interventions have the potential to make students more focused, to help them regulate their emotions and become more flexible, and to improve their conscious control over their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Therefore, educational institutions must implement mindfulness training in order to promote students' mental health and academic engagement.