Backed by research, let’s hear from the students
Qualitative Analysis of controlling stress class student narratives
As compiled by Jennifer McCloud, PhD, Assistant Professor of Education, Transylvania University
Using qualitative research analysis methods, 75 student narratives about yoga and meditation were coded, categorized, and synthesized into themes (Mayan, 2009).
What follows are the salient themes that emerged as patterns in the 75 narratives from 2013. That is, students recurrently described these themes across the narratives. The themes describe the benefits students experienced from practicing yoga and meditation in the Controlling Stress course at Lafayette High School. The themes are the following:
Increased attention/concentration/focus in school
Improved communication and relationships
Enhanced Self-Regulation: anger management and conflict resolution
Stress/anxiety management
Physical health, flexibility, and strength
Representative samples from student narratives illustrate the themes:
Increased Attention/Concentration/Focus in School (Discussed in 47% of student narratives)
“The difference between my ability to focus now and eight months ago is immeasurable. At the beginning of the school year, when I would sit down and do my homework, it would take me several hours. It was hard to ignore all of the distractions around me, therefore, making it rather difficult to get in my “zone.” However, now that I have learned to clear my thoughts, I do not have to think twice to focus on a math problem, or an English essay. My practice of concentration which occurs 2-3 times a week has paid off; now when I try to get a task done, nothing is in my mind except for that task, and my goals of that task” (Paper 32).
“The focusing abilities that I have mastered through my controlling stress class have greatly helped me concentrate in my other class and have helped me be prepared for upcoming tests” (Paper 30)
“Meditation has also helped my concentration. After my fifteen minutes of meditation I don’t get distracted all day. I pay attention in class and my grades have improved tremendously.” (Paper 4).
“As far back as I can remember I have taken medication for ADHD…But meditation has brought me a peace of mind I could only once dream about if I wasn’t too hyper to sleep. The meditation does for me what the medicine did; it helps my mind down, organize my thoughts, and concentrate in class” (Paper 23).
“I haven’t been diagnosed with ADD…but every teacher I’ve had thinks I have it. My grades have suffered and my parents ground me when they get too low. Recently I’ve been taking this whole meditation thing seriously. It has increased my ability to focus while a teacher is giving a lecture. My grades have shown this change in my mind and my parents are pleased” (Paper 25).
“Meditation has helped me to become more focused in my classes and anything else that I do” (Paper 28).
“My teachers told me I was acting a lot different in class, like I was in a better mood every day. Also I got a lot more work done in my classes; I was a lot more focused and ready to do my work” (Paper 50).
“I can even focus more in class, which is a blessing” (Paper 61).
“I pay more attention in class” (Paper 64).
Improved Communication and Relationships with Others (Discussed in 72% of narratives)
“The greatest benefit that I have gotten out of yoga and meditation is my ability to communicate more directly and positively. This has had a great impact on my relationships” (Paper 32).
“It has affected my life because I have a better relationship with people which have helped me throughout my freshman year. Another way it has affected my life is that I have a better relationship with my dad. How I think this has happened is because I am calmer and he hates it when I am hyper. We have also done the communication activity which I think has helped a little.” (Paper 12).
“My relationships improved so much. I am a lot closer with my parents” (Paper 4).
“I learned to be a better listener and better at effective communication” (Paper 15).
“Yoga and meditation have impacted my life by making me want to make things better. It has made me want to improve my relationship with my family, friends, teachers, and mentors” (Paper 24).
“When I started to do all of this, I noticed an even bigger change. I was able to differentiate between what I control and what I can’t; I was able to let go of stressors easier; and I was also able to communicate more effectively with other people, especially my mom if we were in a disagreement” (Paper 45).
“If you didn’t know, I’m a positive person and people that complain to me just annoy me….So one day when [my dad] was complaining, I noticed myself not getting angry with him. I noticed that I was just listening and carrying on a conversation with him. I was just accepting that that was his outlook on his day, which differed from mine. After I was done talking to him, I wondered why I hadn’t gotten angry or upset or annoyed. Then I remembered I had meditated that morning. I can only attribute my calmness to that practice. It made me feel better because it helped me think that not everyone is like me. This idea has helped me when talking to my dad and when talking to other people in general” (Paper 47).
“I have better relationships with the people around me” (Paper 64).
“I have seen myself transform into a person that can handle situations in a calm manner, and communicate in the right way” (Paper 70).
Subtheme Self-Regulation: Anger Management and Resolving Conflict with Others
“When I am angry, or upset, I know how to get to the root of the problem. Ms. SlineyHoward taught my class to act civilized in disappointing situations, and to stay calm. Therefore, when I encounter these situations, I tell someone exactly how I feel, and how I think something could change. This does not only fix my problems, but it keeps other from being hurt if I act out when I am upset” (Paper 32).
“I am also a lot better about talking about how I feel; I learned that talking is the best way to fix any problem….I don’t fight as much with my brothers. Things with my boyfriend are so much better now, because we don’t fight like before now we talk about our problems” (Paper 4).
“If you’re really mad and you have a place where you can go into Child’s pose, then do it! It will calm you down” (Paper 6)
“My brother and I tend to fight a lot at home, arguing loud enough to disturb the whole house. But with the calm mind I have been able to remain calm when he tries to provoke me and not react” (Paper 23).
“As a teenager, a lot of drama arises between us. Once, I said something to make my girlfriend upset with me. She said something that really got under my skin about her last boyfriend. I almost said something that would have strongly hurt her feelings. Instead I stopped myself and remember to breathe. Meditation has helped me to keep my cool” (Paper 25).
“Yoga and meditation has impacted my life by helping me become a better person. For an example 1) I can control my anger and am not so easily irritated or want to argue with another person” (Paper 29).
“Meditation has helped me to watch what I say and know what to do in the toughest and most aggravating times” (Paper 39).
“Before this class, I would snap very quickly back to someone when they said or did something I didn’t like. I have learned to control myself, and not to react immediately to something that won’t matter ten years from now. I now get along with my mom a lot better. I used to have a smart mouth that no one wanted to deal with. I still have my moments, but it is not as bad as it used to be” (Paper 36).
“I’m the kind of person who can be easily set off by any little thing….I’m still like that sometimes, but it is much easier to control, and the smaller things don’t make me angry at all anymore” (Paper 35).
“Another change in my life was me and my mother stopped getting in as much arguments. We always would fight and argued with each other. Then when I was doing meditation I saw that we now argue less and get along a whole lot more. I honestly think this class saved me with meditation, because without it me and my mom would be getting in arguments nonstop (Paper 42).
“This class has taught me to think before I do and do not listen to what the person says before I make it out like its bad….I used to punch walls every time I got mad or sad or to the point I couldn’t take it, but now I think to myself what’s the benefit to punching the wall….No need to fight or yell. Just breath” (Paper 54).
“The beginning of this school year I was mad at the world and always fighting. I was the girl no one wanted to confront because they would get hit. I was known for being a hot head and now people can really get to know me. I learned that there [are] many other ways to solve problems and to get your anger out. When I used to get mad all my common sense just flew out the window, but now I can stop, breath and get myself under control” (Paper 56).
“Yoga has helped me when I get mad at someone it helps me control my anger if I just meditate and relax. I just let it go behind me. I apologize by saying I’m sorry and letting her know why I acted like that and maybe we can compromise and yoga helped me build up the courage to let me know you don’t have to get in a fight to solve the problem” (Paper 71).
Stress/Anxiety Management (Discussed in 67% of Narratives)
“I have learned to control my anxiety. My entire life, I have been a very anxious person. I do not have diagnosed anxiety, but my mother and I have assumed that I have some issues anxiety-wise. However, when I started taking Controlling Stress, my ability to stay calm, and clear my mind has kept me from getting worked up in situations that stress me out, I have learned to breathe deeply, and to calm my mind.”
“It causes stress to just go away and it feels like a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders.” (Paper 9)
“After doing meditation, I’m calm for the rest of the day. Before I started taking this class I was always hyper. Also I do meditation whenever I get stressed from my parents or school. I’m not as stressed because I clear my mind and I don’t have to worry about anything that’s going on around me” (Paper 19).
“I came into this class with a lot of stress in my life between friends, color guard, and school. Having some time with myself where I try to clear my mind helps me get away from the stress” (Paper 38).
“I am always in a constant state of worry and stress. Yoga gives me that time to myself to calm down and relax my mind and body, and I love how meditation gives me the chance to clear my mind of all my daily worries and escape the world….While I’m in this class, it almost gives me the same effect as my anxiety medication does; it relaxes my mind and body and just gives me a priceless feeling of relaxation” (Paper 45).
Physical Health, Strength, Flexibility (Discussed in 81% of narratives)
Here students overwhelmingly mentioned improved strength and flexibility with some students describing how it had improved their performance in other activities such as track and field, color guard, dancing, and wrestling. Twelve students explicitly mentioned how it helped improved their health as related to pain management (e.g., back pain) and asthma management.
Reference
Mayan, M. J. (2009). Essentials of qualitative inquiry. Walnut Creek, CA: Left Coast