FROM STRESS TO STRENGTH: ANALYSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION ON TEACHER WELL-BEING IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN NEPAL

The growing acknowledgement of climate change as a psychological threat to teachers is most notable in climate-vulnerable parts of the Global South. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have recently been identified as a potentially effective strategy to help promote teachers' well-being, but there is a lack of clarity regarding the role of MBIs in the context of climate-related distress. The goal of this systematic literature review was to distil evidence about the efficacy of MBIs in enhancing teacher well-being and specifically in improving outcomes related to climate change such as eco-anxiety, climate trauma and occupational burnout. A thorough search of electronic databases was performed, according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Twenty-eight studies were included. Data was extracted and then synthesized in a narrative manner, and the methodological quality of the data was evaluated with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The results reveal that generally MBIs are effective at improving teacher well-being, with the small to medium effect sizes found through meta-analysis for teacher outcomes, and large effect sizes found for self-compassion and mindfulness. But there is little specific evidence for the use of MBIs to tackle distress related to the climate context. A randomized controlled trial in Nepal did not yield significant effects of MBCBT on burnout, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the culture. Most studies have taken place in high income countries, restricting the generalisability of the results for climate vulnerable settings. There are no interventions addressing eco-anxiety and climate trauma, and only partial geographical diversity, as well as a lack of longitudinal evidence. The review finds that MBIs have potential in supporting teacher wellbeing, and there is a need for culturally adapted interventions, specifically developed for climate related distress with a Global South focus. More intensive trials should be conducted in climate sensitive areas in the future. Thus, culturally adapted MBIs for teachers under climate-related stressors should be developed and evaluated to be a priority for policy and research.