Abstract
Objectives
Workplace stress is a significant mental health concern that affects teachers, with attendant consequences on students’ academic performance, and yet only little empirical research has been conducted on this area in sub-Saharan Africa. The study therefore assessed the efficacy of mindfulness intervention in addressing workplace stress among adult education lecturers in Nigeria.
Methods
Following a mixed-methods approach, pre-post-test and follow-up survey data, snowballing and purposive sampling techniques were used to recruit 365 lecturers for the survey (Phase 1) and 26 lecturers for the controlled experiment (Phase 2). The study variables were measured with psychometrically robust scales: Daily Stressor Scale and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Short Form (FFMQ-SF).
Results
Overall, 248 (67.9%) male lecturers and 117 (32.1%) female lecturers participated in the study, with ages ranging from 34 to 65 years with an average age of 47.13 (SD = 8.54). We found 56.7% prevalence of workplace stress and mindfulness levels significantly and inversely correlated with workplace stress. Further, introducing or exposing lecturers to modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (mMBSR) significantly reduced workplace stress, whereas the control group showed no significant reduction in workplace stress.
Conclusion
The conclusion was reached that mMBSR demonstrated its clinical importance and usefulness in mitigating workplace stress prevalent among lecturers. The study findings indicate the importance of enhancing lecturers' awareness for the need of positive coping and adjustment, as well as becoming more emotionaly and socialy adept to their duties.
Preregistration
This study is not preregistered.
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Data Availability
All data supporting findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. However, certain restrictions may surface as a result of some ethical considerations.
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Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the lecturers who went out of their tight schedule to serve as participants for this study. In addition, the authors thank David O. Iloma (PhD), Department of Sociology (Criminology and Security Studies), Topfaith University Mkpatak, who assisted in the interpretation and organization of statistical analyses of this study.
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Chioma Osilike: Study conceptualization, Methodology, Validation of instruments, Discussion of findings, Proof-reading and editing. Ezenwaji Chisom: Data gathering, Theoretical review, Modification of intervention. Ann Okechukwu: Software analysis, Study intervention, General supervision, Subsequent drafts and reviews. All authors read and made inputs before approving the final manuscript for publication.
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The Faculty of Education Committee on Research Ethics in University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria approved the study and general rules guiding research in line with the Belmont Report were duly adhered to.
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Osilike, C.C., Ogochukwu, E.C. & Okechukwu, A.E. Managing Workplace Stress in Adult Education Lecturers: The Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Intervention. Mindfulness (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02286-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02286-2