17 General Introduction the development of compassion and kindness towards themselves and others. The cultivation of self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and compassion were identified as instrumental factors in improving relationships and teaching practices. A subset of three qualitative studies from the systematic review and narrative synthesis by Emerson and colleagues (2017) generally yield results similar to the research of Hwang and colleagues (2017). They further contribute to these findings by emphasizing that teachers consistently integrate mindfulness into their personal lives, resulting in improved self-care. Figure 1. Theory of change Conclusion In conclusion, numerous studies on MBIs for teachers have shown promising effects on teachers’ perceived stress. Additionally, there are encouraging indications of improvements in teachers’ well-being, self-efficacy, perceived pupil-teacher relationships, and classroom climate quality. However, the current state of research is characterized by limited RCTs, infrequent preregistration of study protocols, small sample sizes, and rare follow-up assessments (Hwang et al., 2017; Klingbeil and Renshaw, 2018; Zarate et al., 2019). Moreover, the majority of studies investigating mindfulness for teachers focus on MBIs specifically tailored to the educational context. Consequently, these interventions often differ in terms of content and duration from the standard MBSR program. It is essential to note that the majority of these studies were conducted in the USA or outside Europe and encompassed a mixed teacher population. Considering the concerning trend of increased perceived stress levels among Dutch elementary school teachers and the associated negative consequences, there is a need for stress-reducing interventions within Dutch primary education. The already existing and readily accessible standard MBSR could potentially contribute positively to this. Furthermore, gaining a clearer understanding of 1
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