Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Ethiopian-Israeli Young Adults: Coping with Stress, Exclusion, and Racism
Shiran Israel, Raghda Alnabilsy, Michael Zaitchik et al. preprint
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) can be a meaningful resource for Ethiopian-Israeli young adults coping with chronic stressors such as socioeconomic disadvantage, racialized discrimination, and identity tensions, but its effectiveness depends on cultural resonance, practical framing, and relational safety. In a qualitative study of 25 Ethiopian-Israeli young adults who completed an eight-week MBSR course, participants reported enhanced emotion regulation, embodied awareness, and coping with discrimination. However, cultural and practical barriers—such as norms discouraging emotional vulnerability, emphasis on productivity, and competing life demands—limited engagement. The findings indicate that mindfulness should not be assumed culturally neutral and that contextually grounded adaptations are needed.