Mindfulness programme in schools results in less anxiety, more focus

A home-grown programme teaching mindfulness to tens of thousands of school children around the country is bringing more calm and less anxiety to the classroom, according to an independent evaluation.

Pause Breathe Smile is a programme developed by Grant Rix while he worked with the Mental Health Foundation. It is funded by Southern Cross and deployed in over 340 schools and kura , reaching 90,000 children.

An evaluation by Christchurch research consultancy Mindquip has found a range of benefits including an improvement in focus, perseverance, helpfulness and self-motivation and a decline in apprehension, anxiety and pessimism.