We talk a great deal about teacher wellbeing. But what does the evidence actually say? What happens , measurably, statistically, when teachers practise Mindfulness in a structured, emotionally intelligent way over a sustained period of time?

This research poster, presented at the II Congress of Mindfulness in Education in Zaragoza (2019), answers exactly that question. The study was conducted by Lawrence Body alongside researchers Natalio Ramos, Olivia Recondo, and Óscar Jiménez from the University of Málaga — and the results speak for themselves.

What is PINEP?

The Programa de Inteligencia Emocional Plena (PINEP) (Full Emotional Intelligence Programme) was developed by Ramos, Recondo and Enríquez (2012). It combines foundational Mindfulness training with structured emotional intelligence development, creating a flexible and open framework that can be adapted to different educational and professional contexts.

Unlike purely contemplative approaches, PINEP is designed to bring participants into direct, compassionate contact with their own emotional experience, both positive and negative, building autonomy in decision/making and moving beyond automatic, conditioned responses.

How the study was conducted

The study followed a pre-post design with a control group, evaluating participants before and after 8 weeks of PINEP training. Teachers came from across the province of Málaga, recruited through the Teacher Training Centres of Málaga and Marbella-Coín. The sample was 80% women and 20% men, aged between 25 and 65, spanning primary, secondary, vocational, and guidance education.

What changed — and how significantly

The experimental group — those who completed the PINEP programme — showed statistically significant improvements across 11 different variables, while the control group showed no meaningful changes. Here is what improved:

Among the most striking results: Emotional Regulation showed a t-value of 6.9 (p<0.001), Life Satisfaction reached 6.4 (p<0.001), and Mindfulness changes scored 7.2 (p<0.001) — all highly significant results, pointing to real, measurable transformation in how teachers experience and manage their inner world.

What this means for education

These findings matter beyond the statistics. When a teacher improves their emotional regulation, their students feel it. When they develop greater intrapersonal awareness, the classroom culture shifts. When their life satisfaction increases, their vocation becomes sustainable.

The study confirms what many educators already sense intuitively: that Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence are not extras — they are foundations. And when delivered through a structured, evidence-based programme like PINEP, the results are not just felt — they can be measured.

Download the research poster

We are making this research poster freely available to anyone who wants to explore the evidence, share it with colleagues, or use it as a starting point for conversations about wellbeing in their own institution. It presents the full study — objectives, methodology, results, and conclusions — in a clear and accessible format.