A culturally appropriate mindfulness intervention to reduce health disparities among African Americans : feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of mantram repetition
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Mindfulness interventions improve psychological and physiological health outcomes because they interrupt the link between stress and disease processes. Despite the promise of these interventions in promoting health among clinical and non-clinical populations, African Americans--who share a disproportionate burden of chronic stress-related diseases--have been underrepresented in mindfulness research. Mindfulness interventions have been successfully adapted for specific treatment outcomes and some underserved populations, but despite the recognized need for culturally adapted interventions, little progress has been made in this area. Mantram repetition is one type of mindfulness intervention that is more flexible, culturally adaptable, and cost-efficient compared to many other mindfulness interventions. In four studies, the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of mantram repetition were examined. Meta-analytic results from Study 1 indicated that mantram repetition has a small, significant effect on various health and well-being outcomes (g = .444). In Study 2, results from qualitative interviews suggested that an online, asynchronous, customized mantram repetition intervention was of interest to African American community members. In Study 3, a customized intervention was developed and refined. In Study 4, the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the customized intervention were demonstrated. The current studies suggest mantram repetition can be successfully implemented to improve health outcomes among African Americans.
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Ph. D.