The Association Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Management Self-Efficacy Among Early Childhood Education Managers in Head Start

Head Start is a federally-funded early childhood education program whose primary goal is to increase school readiness for low-income children less than 5 years of age. Managers in Head Start programs have stressful jobs. They must adhere to complex federal program performance standards while addressing the needs of their staff, who work with children and families facing stressful social circumstances. Dispositional mindfulness is associated with greater self-efficacy in the face of challenges, but there are no data on the association between dispositional mindfulness and management self-efficacy among leaders of early childhood education programs. In 2012, the Pennsylvania Head Start Staff Wellness Survey, an anonymous, web-based survey, was administered to managers in 66 Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Pennsylvania. For 480 of the 552 (87%) managers in these programs, data were available on their levels of dispositional mindfulness (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised) and management self-efficacy (Principal Self-Efficacy Scale). After adjustment, a 1 SD higher mindfulness score was associated with a 0.41 SD (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31 to 0.51) higher management self-efficacy score (p < .001). Managers in the highest versus lowest quartile of dispositional mindfulness had a 1.05 SD (95% CI, 0.79 to 1.30) higher management self-efficacy score, after adjustment (p < .001). Managers in Head Start and Early Head Start who had higher levels of dispositional mindfulness reported greater management self-efficacy. Interventions to promote mindfulness among leaders of early childhood education programs may be one approach to improve their management self-efficacy and promote effective leadership.