Rural sixth-grade teachers' and students' perceptions of a mindfulness-based mental health curriculum.

Introduction: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have the potential to improve students' mood, behavior and cognitive functioning; yet, little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of adapting such programs for rural middle schools. Methods: An exploratory qualitative evaluation was conducted to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an initial trial delivery of Results: Three themes were identified from qualitative data: cultural considerations, teacher self-efficacy, and barriers and facilitators to student acceptability. Student acceptability ratings were high. Students reported, on average, that the classes helped them better understand themselves and others. Conclusion: Some identified needs for future MBIs include (1) the need for culturally sensitive, trauma-informed delivery strategies; (2) teachers' desire for more support in content delivery; and (3) students' desire to have their own teachers deliver the curriculum. Findings elucidate the nuances associated with implementing an MBI in a rural middle school and have notable implications for development, scalability, and sustainability.