The purpose of this study is to develop the meditation program for enhancing interpersonal relation in elementary-school students. As for research problems, first, with which contents does the meditation program suitable for elementary-school students...
The purpose of this study is to develop the meditation program for enhancing interpersonal relation in elementary-school students. As for research problems, first, with which contents does the meditation program suitable for elementary-school students need to be designed? Second, it is to clarify which effects of the meditation program have on promoting interpersonal relation in elementary-school students. The hypothesis according to the research problem was established with saying that ‘the experimental group of participating in a program will have significant difference in enhancing interpersonal relation more than the control group.’ In order to verify the hypothesis, it had the control group and the experimental as 2 classrooms in the 2nd grade of one elementary school where is located in Seoul. The experimental group was carried out the meditation program in totally 13 times by 3 times every week from the first week in September to the first week in October. And, the control group was not treated the program, and was carried out post-test.
The test tool was used what Oh Eun-ju(2006) modified and supplemented in line with a level of elementary-school students as for the scale, which was adapted by Mun Seon-mo(1980) in order to measure the scale of interpersonal relation. The sub-factors in this test were composed of satisfaction, communication, credibility, affinity, sensitivity, openness, and intelligibility of rationally discerning reason. And, the pre-and-post test was conducted both in the experimental group and the control group.
As for the procedure of developing the meditation program, a goal of the program was established by referring to the meditation program, which is the preceding research by Lee Su-gyeong(2005), Kim Gye-suk(2006), and Lee Bo-ok(2002), to this researcher's experience, to several references, and to meditation leader's advice. And, even in addition to this, the theme and contents according to the goal of meditation program for enhancing interpersonal relation were selected by utilizing Lee Yeong-don(2006)'s Mind: KBS's special-planned documentary DVD, Thich Nhat Hanh(2007)'s walking-meditation literature, CD and DVD materials, and Jon Kabat-Zinn(2007)'s Mindfulness Meditation and Spontaneous Healing(first volume). Also, by utilizing Sim Jun-yeong(2003)'s brain-respiration program in the introductory part, it applied it to activity of relaxation and open mind.
Data processing was carried out the statistical analysis through MANCOVA in SPSS/Window 12.0. And, it utilized for the qualitative analysis by analyzing contents through the experience report, which a participant in the program recorded the cases of utilizing the meditation method after each session was finished.
As for the results of this study, the score of interpersonal-relation scale between the experimental group, which participated in the meditation program, and the control group increased significantly, thereby having been confirmed to have a positive effect on enhancing interpersonal relation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the meditation program had the significant impact on improving interpersonal relation in elementary-school students.
As for implications of this study, first, it may be good data when introducing the meditation program targeting elementary-school students and then operating a classroom for enhancing effective interpersonal relation. Second, the meditation program so far has targeted small children or has mainly comprised adults. However, this study can be learnt a method of enhancing the interpersonal relation by forming the classroom-based systematic and preventive program centering on sub-factors in interpersonal relation. Third, students, who particularly have a conflict with a friend due to the lack of interpersonal-relation ability, can understand own anger and well control and regulate own mind through the meditation program. Fourth, students come to control impulsive emotion and to have comfortable mind through the activity of maintaining the certain distance from the psychological stimulation while doing respiration meditation, thereby being said to have smooth interpersonal relation.
The suggestions of this study are as follows. First, the subjects of participating in this program were the whole students in a classroom, which were formed regardless of own intention. Thus, there was difference among students in the interest level in the program. A follow-up research is needed, which can try to compare effects on the program when applying the program by selecting the subjects who desire to voluntarily participate in the program.
Second, there is no standardized questionnaire of targeting elementary-school students in terms of selecting the measurement tool, thus having used the questionnaire adapted by Mun Seon-mo(1980), which is relatively used extensively. By the way, there is terminology that elementary-school students are difficult to understand, thus there was difficulty in conducting a test. Therefore, a method will need to be sought, which utilizes verification of effects through qualitative analysis rather than analyzing the factors of effects by simply using questionnaire.
Third, a future test is required for examining whether its effects of the meditation program are sustained for a long time on enhancing interpersonal relation in elementary-school students. Given applying the medication-activity program for a long time, it is expected that there will be significant effect on students' internal behavioral control.