Gaining headspace: A classroom‐based mindfulness intervention to promote attention for primary students

Abstract The authors investigated whether a functional relation exists between the mindfulness‐based intervention Headspace and student attentive behavior, and the perceptions of Headspace from instructors who used the intervention. The study was conducted in three classrooms with elementary‐age students. The intervention was delivered via the Headspace application. Data were collected using systematic direct observation. The research design was a multiple baseline design. Each classroom was the unit of analysis. Data were analyzed using visual analysis and by calculating a between‐case standardized mean difference. Results showed a nonsignificant, small effect size ( g = 0.53, (95% CI [−0.15, 1.22]). Overall, results from the visual analysis suggest there was not a functional relation between Headspace and attentive behavior. The perceptions of Headspace by instructors were not positive. The results differ from previous results in the literature and are interpreted considering limitations related to the planning/design of the study as well as its execution.