An Observational Implementation Study of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Schools: Findings from a Mixed-Methods Approach

Objectives: School-Based Mindfulness Training programs may play a critical role as preventive strategies addressing mental health problems and minimizing their impact on youth development. However, their effectiveness is strongly influenced by the implementation process, including schools’ integration and their contextual factors. This study assessed the implementation process of a mindfulness program in socioeconomically disadvantaged high schools in southern Chile. Method: Participants included 301 9th and 10th grade students (age range: 14–16 years) at five public schools in southern Chile. Of these, 146 students completed all post-intervention measures. Additionally, 19 teachers started the mindfulness training, of whom 11 completed the intervention implementation. A subsample of students and teachers was assessed qualitatively. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the perspectives of students and their teachers were analyzed to explore the program’s feasibility, acceptability, responsiveness, barriers, and facilitators. Results: The program was found to have adequate levels of acceptability; however, challenges were observed in student enrollment and program dosage. Qualitative analysis revealed key barriers noted by both students and teachers, which included structural factors, relational factors, and students’ personal factors. Conversely, facilitators for implementation, mainly identified by teachers, included collaborative relationships among teachers and students’ individual predisposition to socio-emotional learning. Conclusion: While the mindfulness program was acceptable in this context, successful delivery requires addressing specific contextual, relational, and structural barriers. Future implementation strategies must account for the high psycho-social vulnerability of the post-pandemic school environment to improve engagement. Preregistration: This study was not preregistered.