Our Impact
The Need
Since 2014, Peace in Schools has been working to address this challenge, offering our for-credit Mindful Studies class in 10 public high schools in Portland. Mindful Studies offers a transformative set of tools and practices in a community-based semester or year-long class. We conduct comprehensive annual evaluations to understand the impact of our class on our students and continually improve our teaching and curriculum. Our latest 2023-24 course-end surveys show that Mindful Studies improves:
Self Compassion
93% of students agree: “Because of Mindful Studies, I have more compassion for myself.”
90% of students report: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am better able to accept myself.”
Emotional regulation
94% of students report: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am better able to calm myself down when strong emotions show up.”
92% of students say: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am able to respond and not react to tough situations.”
89% of students say: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am better able to deal with my stress.”
Belonging & Relational Skills
92% of students agree: “Because of Mindful Studies, I feel like I belong more around my peers.”
93% of students agree: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am better able to understand and care about the feelings of others.”
86% of students report: “Because of Mindful Studies, I have better relationships with my family and friends.”
Resilience
92% of students report: “Because of Mindful Studies, I am better able to bounce back from challenges.”
Teens represent the future, and by many measures, they are struggling: suicide is the second most common cause of death in the US for youth aged 15-24; 50% of teens in the US meet the criteria for a mental health disorder. In January 2022, the Surgeon General made a rare public health advisory, warning of a youth mental health crisis in the US. Many students are struggling with consistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and overwhelm.
The Impact of Mindful Studies
Program Evaluation
Independent Research
From 2018-2020, Peace in Schools partnered with Johns Hopkins University to conduct its first independent research study. Led by Dr. Gia Naranjo-Rivera, the study is pioneering in its focus on the impact of mindfulness for youth with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Dr. Naranjo-Rivera's research was recognized with the 2019 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Partnership Award for Excellence in United States Public Health Practice. The mixed methods study demonstrated that Mindful Studies is an effective mental health intervention for teens. The findings showed that the class significantly improved emotional regulation, self-compassion, and coping, while decreasing reported anxiety, depression, and judgment. These benefits were most pronounced in girls, LGBTQ+ teens, and teens with higher levels of ACEs.
We are always looking to deepen our research!
If you work with an organization that would be interested in partnering with us to further the research in our field, let us know!