Mindfulness Interventions in Law School Classrooms

Last registered on April 04, 2022
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Mindfulness Interventions in Law School Classrooms
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0009037
Initial registration date
April 02, 2022

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
April 04, 2022, 9:47 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

Country
United States of America
Region

Primary Investigator

Name
Varshini Parthasarathy
Affiliation
Yale Law School
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Yair Listokin
PI Affiliation
Yale Law School
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PI Name
Jordana Confino
PI Affiliation
Fordham University School of Law
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2022-06-01
End date
2023-06-30
Keywords
Education
Additional Keywords
JEL code(s)
I23
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions on law school classrooms and learning environments. Specifically, we would like to understand how implementation of mindful practices may improve the pedagogical environment of law school classrooms. We are seeking law school professors who have not previously incorporated mindfulness interventions in their classrooms to participate in this study.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Confino, Jordana, Yair Listokin and Varshini Parthasarathy. 2022. "Mindfulness Interventions in Law School Classrooms." AEA RCT Registry. April 04. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.9037-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Intervention Start Date
2022-08-01
Intervention End Date
2023-06-30

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
After the law school term has concluded, we will compare course evaluations from the study period to course evaluations from prior semesters. We will decide which specific course evaluation questions to track in advance, although these questions may vary from school to school. In line with law school policies, all course evaluations will be collected anonymously.

For instance, at Yale Law School, we will track: (i) the professor's overall rating; (ii) the following question: "Did the professor create an equitable environment in which all students of diverse backgrounds felt that they were respected, empowered to participate, had equal access to opportunities, and were not inappropriately singled out or expected to take on disproportionate responsibilities? Please comment in item 10 on how the professor could have done more, as an instructor, classroom manager, mentor, and leader, to create such an equitable environment"; and (iii) a question tailored to the study, e.g., "Did the professor facilitate a learning environment that enhanced your overall well-being?"
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
After the law school’s standard course evaluations have concluded, we will collect voluntary, subjective feedback from both professors and students to determine how the mindful intervention impacted teaching and learning environments. All such feedback will be collected anonymously.
Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
Professors will be stratified and randomly assigned to either the control or treatment group.
Experimental Design Details
The principal investigators will conduct targeted outreach to solicit professors for the study. Participating professors must not have previously incorporated regular mindfulness practices into the course they will be teaching during the study period. Professors will be stratified by law school, gender, age, title (tenured vs. adjunct), and preexisting overall ratings (as available) and randomly assigned to either the control or treatment group. Professors will be asked to disclose these characteristics in the same form used to confirm their intent to participate.

Study procedures will include implementing a minute-long, individual “mindful moment” at the beginning of each class session. The mindful moment will consist of a brief set of instructions (a short script will be provided for the first few occasions) followed by thirty seconds of silence. Participation will require minimal commitment outside of regularly scheduled class time.

Following the end of the term, we will utilize the law school’s standard course evaluations to assess the effectiveness of this intervention (comparing course evaluations from the semester in which professors implemented the mindful moment against course evaluations from prior years). After course evaluations have concluded, we will collect voluntary, subjective feedback from both professors and students to determine how the mindful intervention impacted teaching and learning environments. All such feedback will be collected anonymously.
Randomization Method
Randomization via computer
Randomization Unit
Law School Class
Was the treatment clustered?
Yes

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
20 law school classes (numbers to be updated following outreach)
Sample size: planned number of observations
20 Law School Classes * 50 students * 50% course evaluation rate = 500 course evaluations (numbers to be updated following outreach)
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
10 law school classes = control, 10 law school classes = treatment (numbers to be updated following outreach)
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
N/A
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
Yale University
IRB Approval Date
2021-11-16
IRB Approval Number
2000031138
IRB Name
Fordham University
IRB Approval Date
2022-01-12
IRB Approval Number
2003
Analysis Plan

Post-Trial

Post Trial Information

Study Withdrawal

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Intervention

Is the intervention completed?
No
Data Collection Complete
Data Publication

Data Publication

Is public data available?
No

Program Files

Program Files
Reports, Papers & Other Materials

Relevant Paper(s)

Reports & Other Materials