This study is the qualitative part of a larger study (Milaré et al., 2021) that originated it, with semi-structured interviews to participants, including 28 students aged between 8-9 years old and 12 teachers with a college degree, aged between 26-50 years old. There were 50 family members of the respective students aged between 25-40 years old who agreed to participate in the study, including 44 mothers, five fathers, and one grandmother, from two public schools in the Southeastern region of the city of São Paulo (SP, Brazil). It is important to highlight that the interviews were conducted separately with each group (students, teachers, and family members).

To be eligible for participation, students were required to have taken part in the K5 program of the Mindful Schools (Milaré et al., 2021) Mindfulness Intervention, with their parents or legal guardians having signed the Informed Consent Form (ICF) and the students themselves having signed the Assent Form. Additionally, students needed to express willingness to participate in the interview and have no mental disorders that would hinder their involvement. Teachers were eligible if they were responsible for the classes involved in the Intervention and had signed the ICF. Family members were required to reside with the student and also sign the ICF.

This study complied with national and international ethics standards in research involving human subjects, following resolution 466/12-510/16, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp, Federal University of São Paulo), opinion No. 3460707.

After the Mindfulness Intervention, interviews were conducted with students, teachers, and family members using the semi-structured interview technique, with some guiding questions aimed at obtaining the maximum information related to the object of study, with the theme being the impact of Mindfulness Intervention in the school context.

The intervention was structured around the K5 Program developed by Mindful Schools (Milaré et al., 2021), as detailed in Table 1. This curriculum is specifically tailored for elementary school children and requires specialized training in mindfulness as well as successful completion to qualify individuals to work with children in educational settings. To adapt the program for our study, certain modifications were implemented to enhance comprehension. These adaptations included the integration of props such as hula hoops for movement exercises, a ball to symbolize gratitude, an anchor to aid in breathing exercises, buttons to represent acts of generosity, and a rainstick to explore different sounds. The intervention comprised 16 mindfulness sessions, each lasting 30 minutes, conducted over an eight-week period (twice a week). These sessions were led by the researcher, who was a qualified instructor of the program. Training sessions were conducted in a dedicated room specifically arranged for mindfulness practices.

To achieve the objective of this study, interviews were conducted with students, teachers, and family members using the semi-structured interview technique, with some guiding questions aimed at obtaining the maximum information related to the object of study, with the theme being the impact of Mindfulness Intervention in the school context.

Interviews with students, teachers, and family members were conducted after the Mindfulness Intervention, led by the researcher and a psychologist with experience in the semi-structured interview technique. Some guiding questions were elaborated with the aim of obtaining the maximum information related to the object of study, with the theme being the impact of Mindfulness Intervention in the school context, as shown in Table 2.

With students, semi-structured interviews had a guiding question about the impact of learning Mindfulness and a thematic script with questions related to the family and school context.

The analysis was carried out with the recorded interviews of students, teachers, and family members. All transcribed files from the semi-structured interviews were organized in the MAXQDA software, version 18.2.0 (https://www.maxqda.com). It was possible to coordinate the entire process of coding, analysis, and discussion of results (Kuckartz, 2014).

For data analysis, the categorical content analysis framework proposed by Guerra (2006) was used. That is, all themes addressed in the interviews were grouped into codes and subcodes, and after content analysis, they were reorganized to elaborate on the categories and subcategories of analysis.

For the elaboration of categories and subcategories, the data-driven coding framework presented by Gibbs (2009) was used. Thus, firstly, open coding was elaborated; in this stage, all themes addressed by the participants were highlighted, and their speech segments were coded. After this process, axial and selective pieces of coding were executed (stages performed using the MAXQDA code management tool), where it was possible to group, exclude, or include new speech segments for the elaboration of analysis categories, according to the study’s objective (central axis of analysis of the perception of students, teachers, and family members about Mindfulness Meditative Practices).

The 1st Category shows the perception about the Mindfulness Intervention of students, teachers, and family members in general, that is, the results are the analysis of the three groups together, supported as follows:

The general perception of family members, teachers, and students about the change in student behavior after Mindfulness Intervention was classified into two themes: Self-regulation and Socioemotional Skills.

The narratives underscore improvements in self-regulation following the Mindfulness Intervention, with notable enhancements such as increased calmness, utilization of the breathing anchor technique, enhanced concentration, and improved attention.

For students, Mindfulness helped them become calmer, focus on the present, improve restlessness, and pay attention.

Mindfulness was a very good experience because it helped me to get calmer since I used to be very restless and couldn’t stand still anywhere. It helped me to rest, breathe, be more attentive, and pay more attention to my surroundings [emphasis added].

When I was nervous, like, about something, someone hit me, or took something of mine without asking, I would get mad, and I would do Mindfulness. It calmed me down [emphasis added].

These things we learned: to observe the movements of our body, to listen to the noises happening around us, to think about now, not to think about the past or the future, to think about the present [emphasis added].

Learning Mindfulness was very good because before I used to be restless [emphasis added], I didn’t know how to stay calm, and now I do because Mindfulness tells us to inhale [emphasis added] and exhale three times, and then I calm down now because before I used to knock things over a lot. I was restless, and now I don’t knock things over anymore, I pay attention, I have the eyes of a hawk [emphasis added].

For teachers, the emphasis lies in observing students exhibiting greater calmness, improved concentration, enhanced self-control, and heightened awareness of their own bodies.

With the mindfulness practices, they were able to conduct the class more easily, with more calmness [emphasis added]. I think they began to notice things in their daily lives that they couldn’t really notice before [emphasis added], in terms of their body, breathing, concentration [emphasis added].

“They improved a lot in terms of concentration [emphasis added]. I often catch them saying, watch the anchor”. Or like this: “breathe, breathe, calm down, you can do it” [emphasis added].

Before, they used to run around, they weren’t aware of their own bodies. Not anymore, they move freely. I do a lot of group activities, and I say, “Guys, get organized”, and they know how to organize themselves, they form groups. There’s no euphoria. I think they control themselves. They can control themselves, limit themselves, not talk too loudly, know their own bodies. I think it has improved a lot [emphasis added].

For the families, there was an improvement in concentration and attitude.

My son really enjoyed it, his concentration improved, and wherever he went, he mentioned that he was taking classes in full breathing [emphasis added]. Full attention.

I noticed that his concentration improved a lot, stopping to do something, if he’s doing origami he sits down he concentrates [emphasis added] to do it. And he didn’t have that, everything he did he started and didn’t finish.

And so, then I began to notice the change in attitude. She didn’t clench her fists anymore, she breathed, looked one way, looked the other way, and took a deep breath [emphasis added]. Then the other, younger one, who is six years old, says: – “But don’t you want to play with me?” She answers: – “Can you wait a bit? When I finish, I promise I’ll play with you”.

In Socioemotional Skills: the improvement effect after the Mindfulness Intervention was the development of skills such as gratitude, kindness, respect, empathy, and improvement in social relationships among students, and, most importantly, the decrease in physical and verbal violence.

For the students, the improvement occurred because there were fewer fights, without the use of aggression, respect for others, kindness, forgiveness, and accepting differences.

The mindfulness practice helped me a lot because before I used to fight a lot [emphasis added], and when someone insulted me or knocked something down in front of me and it was mine, I would resort to aggression, and now it’s different [emphasis added].

It taught me that I can now respect others, sit properly, pay attention. Mindfulness helped me to stay calm, before I used to be very angry and quarrelsome, and now I am calm and don’t fight anymore [emphasis added].

“Friends”’ used to mean people to give me things, do things for me. But now with Mindfulness, I learned that kindness is not what people have, it’s what people are and what they offer you, and it helped me a lot [emphasis added] because now I can see my true friends because it wasn’t easy for me to make friends.

For the teachers, the students perceived themselves, perceived themselves and others in the sense of being more concerned about their friend and wanting to see them well.

I believe that, as they begin to look at their own attitudes and reflect on them before taking action, it already brings well-being. Just the fact of stopping and thinking: “what am I going to do?”, ‘how can I do it?” is already a moment of well-being [emphasis added]. And every Friday I hold an assembly in the classroom, where we discuss the problems that happen during the week. And during this assembly, they can’t mention names. And what do we feel? With the practice of mindfulness, especially at the beginning, they stopped a lot to talk about other peoples’ attitudes [emphasis added], it was incredible how we stopped to observe, and they stopped before speaking, afraid of judging others.

I found it excellent. I continue to practice with them every day. I believe that the class as a whole has become more united; I noticed that they are more concerned about other people [emphasis added]. Respect as well; for me, it was already there. It’s not that it wasn’t, but always a look, like, different, when I’m absent – because I was sick – ‘Teacher, are you okay?’ when I’m upset, they notice my look: “Teacher, what’s going on with you?” And among them as well. Worrying about their friend, wanting to see the other well [emphasis added], that the environment of our school, of our classroom is good.

For the families, besides thanking for the intervention, they highlight their children’s help in socialization and caring for others.

[...] They talk a lot about gratitude [emphasis added], both Lara and Pedro. Sometimes they wake up: - “I’m grateful for everything, gratitude for everything [emphasis added]”. These days I said: “Wow, Ana Lara! Are you learning this from someone?” And she: − ‘‘Oh, mom, it’s from the course I’m taking.” I said: − “Okay then”.

Everyone also noticed the difference in him, before he didn’t play with other children at parties, today he goes out and already gets along with the other children [emphasis added], before he was just playing with his phone. And for us, it was great.

He is a glutton [...] he doesn’t leave any food for his sister. And these days I noticed that he was eating things, said: − “Mom, I’ll leave some for Raquel”; “Mom, do you want it?” and ‘I’ll leave some for my dad” [emphasis added]. So, I noticed that, but I didn’t imagine it was the school’s task. But it was very good.

The general perception of family members, teachers, and students on how they evaluated the Mindfulness Intervention with the students during the 16 sessions allowed for the classification of two themes:

On the Importance of the work developed: the improvement effect after the Mindfulness Intervention led to reflections on the importance of the work done in helping to move away from autopilot mode and into being mode.

As for the students, they emphasize the importance of Mindfulness practices for everyone, facilitating self-awareness and awareness of others.

I think this is very good for the whole world [emphasis added] because people are rushing and only think about themselves... they don’t pay attention to you, you can hurt someone else’s heart. I think everyone will appreciate this, and I think people will notice it, how they are, how they speak, and not hurt each other [emphasis added].

The teachers positively evaluated it.

I thought it was great. I believe it had a good result [emphasis added].

For family members, it provided a pause to focus on what matters.

This pause is for like focusing and concentrating on what really matters [emphasis added], not just being connected to the internet, but on what’s happening. It’s a lot of information for an eight-year-old. I think she needs that break [emphasis added]

On the Continuation of the study: the improvement effect after the Mindfulness Intervention triggered the groups’ need for continuity, both for students and for teachers and family members.

It’s good to teach other people, especially people who are very aggressive [emphasis added], those who don’t have much love in their hearts [...] when you taught us, things changed, we got calmer, when we are nervous, we take a breath, and we can calm down.

Maybe it would be good if we had a project to continue [emphasis added], if not with the students, then with the teachers, other experiences, so we could continue sharing with them, doing with the students. I loved it, I thought it was great [emphasis added].

Well, I loved it. For me, it would be in every grade [emphasis added], from the first to the ninth year. Because starting from the first year, the next generations would already be much better, calmer, able to pay more attention in class, learn more [emphasis added].

This category is related to the specific perception of students, teachers, and family members about Mindfulness practices. The students’ perception was supported by sharing knowledge with others and by recognizing their own learning about the techniques.