Initiative Description: A 15 week mindfulness and SEL program consisting of 15 lessons (one per week) where children learned about their brain, feelings, thoughts, learned how to be caring and altruistic, practiced perspective taking, optimism and savoring happy experiences, and were cued to practice mindfulness 3 times a day (in the morning, after lunch, and at the end of school) This mindfulness consisted of hearing a resonant sounds, focusing their attention on the sound, and then on one’s breathing and body sensations, and ending back with the same sound without judgment.

Study Results: Improved psychological wellbeing. Increased positive affect and decreased negative affect.

Reference: de Carvalho, J. S., Pinto, A. M., & Maroco, J. (2017). Results of a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program on portuguese elementary students and teachers: a quasi-experimental study. Mindfulness, 8(2), 337-350. doi:10.1007/s12671-016-0603-z

Level of Evidence: Good