Starting from the Same Spot: Exploring Mindfulness Meditation and Student Transitions in the Introductory Health Promotion Classroom

The purpose of this research was to explore student perceptions of mindfulness meditation (MM) in an introductory health promotion course, and how the use of MM during class might relate to the transitions experienced by students. Qualitative data collection took place through an online survey and in-person interviews. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Four key themes were identified from this research. First, that MM facilitates a sense of peace and calm; second, that MM encourages students to focus; third, MM helps promote student mental health; and finally, MM positively changes the classroom environment. Challenges and recommendations were also described.Cette recherche avait pour objectif d’explorer la perception des étudiants de la « méditation de pleine conscience » (MPC) dans un cours d’introduction à la promotion de la santé, et en quoi l’utilisation de la MPC en classe peut être liée aux transitions vécues par les étudiants. La collecte des données qualitatives a été réalisée par le moyen d’un sondage en ligne et d’entrevues en personne. Une analyse thématique a permis d’analyser les données recueillies. Cette recherche a permis d’identifier quatre thèmes principaux. Premièrement, la MPC favorise un sentiment de paix et de calme ; deuxièmement, elle encourage la concentration des étudiants ; troisièmement, elle aide à promouvoir leur santé mentale ; et enfin, elle modifie positivement le climat de la classe. Finalement, des défis sont décrits et des recommandations formulées

Responsive Feeding Environments in Childcare Settings: A Scoping Review of the Factors Influencing Implementation and Sustainability

Children benefit from responsive feeding environments, where their internal signals of hunger and satiety are recognized and met with prompt, emotionally supportive and developmentally appropriate responses. Although there is existing research on responsive feeding environments in childcare, there is little synthesized literature on the implementation practices using a behavior change framework. This scoping review sought to explore the factors influencing the implementation and sustainability of responsive feeding interventions in the childcare environment, using the behavior change wheel (BCW). A total of 3197 articles were independently reviewed and 39 met the inclusion criteria. A thematic analysis identified the factors influencing the implementation and sustainability of responsive feeding, including the following: (1) pre-existing nutrition policies, (2) education and training, (3) provider beliefs and confidence, (4) partnership development and stakeholder engagement and (5) resource availability. The most common BCW intervention functions were education (n = 39), training (n = 38), environmental restructuring (n = 38) and enablement (n = 36). The most common policy categories included guidelines (n = 39), service provision (n = 38) and environmental/social planning (n = 38). The current literature suggests that broader policies are important for responsive feeding, along with local partnerships, training and resources, to increase confidence and efficacy among educators. Future research should consider how the use of a BCW framework may help to address the barriers to implementation and sustainability