Students' self-perceptions of mindfulness after learning mindfulness techniques in a professional skills course

Abstract

[EN] In this paper we describe the effect of incorporating two mindfulness techniques (keeping a diary and motivational interviewing) in a professional skills course, and the impact these had on students’ self-perceptions of mindfulness. Over the course of a fourteen-week semester, students were asked to keep a diary at four different time points and were also taught motivational interviewing skills, which they had to apply to a four-part counseling project. Using a pre-post study design and the validated tool, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), we meausred students’ perceptions of mindfulness pre-course and post-course. Results from the study indicated that students’ perceptions of mindfulness significantly increased from pre-course to post-course. Further, most students agreed that both the diary assignments and practicing motivational interviewing increased mindfulness from pre-course to post-course. Additionally, a majority of students reported that practicing motivational interviewing enhanced their counseling skills on the four-part counseling project, and that the four diary assignments improved their writing skills. This study underscores the importance of incorporating mindfulness techniques into a professional skills course to increase students’ mindfulness, which can further benefit the student by increasing students’ professional skills to become more competent counselors and writers.