Mindfulness, Self-compassion and Resilience among Fifth Graders at Al Makassed Dawha School in Lebanon

Abstract

Elementary school students in Lebanon are subjected to various adversities and difficulties. Promoting mindfulness and self-compassion is important in affecting their resilience so that they can overcome these adversities. This study aims at assessing the mindfulness, self-compassion and resilience among fifth graders at Al Makassed Dawha School in Lebanon. To achieve this aim, fifty students were involved in this study. The extent to which students were originally mindful, self-compassionate, and resilient was measured using different surveys. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, and the relation between these variables was statistically tested using Chi-square and Kendall tests. The impact of self-compassion and mindfulness on resilience was deduced from students’ reflection on the implementation of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program (MSC). The results showed that the majority of the enrolled fifth graders in this study had good standing self-compassion and resilience, but they had low levels of mindfulness. Mindfulness and self-compassion are found to be positively and significantly correlated with each other. The MSC was partially implemented and the highest good standing percent (90%) was recorded in the self compassion test, while the lowest students being in the good standing category was in the mindfulness test results (46%). As for the number in the good standing category, it mounted up to 70%. The research recommends the need for following up the development programs of mindfulness, self-compassion, and resilience within the school context and promoting awareness about their importance.