Date

7-2020

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education in Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)

Chair

Chris Taylor

Keywords

Mindfulness, Law School, Stress

Disciplines

Education | Educational Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study phenomenological study was to understand how law school students make meaning of mindfulness as it relates to stress during law school. The Monitoring and Acceptance Theory guided this research study to understand the meaning of mindfulness and stress associated with law school. The Self-determination Theory tenet of autonomy also increased the ability to understand a mindfulness approach to managing stress. The central question of the study is: What are the lived experiences of law students and their mindfulness practice? The phenomenological study was grounded in constructivist methodology and viewed the truth as relative, and values the role of individuals’ construction of their own meaning and interpretation. The study consisted of ten participants, including first-, second- and third-year law students who practiced mindfulness during law school. The data collected was through journaling, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. Confidentiality for participants was maintained by using pseudonyms. The data analysis used patterns, themes and content analysis. The validity was a triangulation of participants with participant reviews. Inductive analysis was used to discover patterns in the study. Transcendental-phenomenological reduction was used to analyze the qualitative data. The research was designed to understand how law students make meaning of mindfulness as it relates to law school stress.

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