The Cultural Relevance of Mindfulness Meditation as a Health Intervention for African Americans
Cheryl L. Woods-Giscombé, Susan A Gaylord
Journal of Holistic Nursing January 17, 2014 DOI: 10.1177/0898010113519010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | African American adults with past or current mindfulness meditation training |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 194 |
| Key findings | African American adults find mindfulness meditation beneficial for stress and health, but recommend cultural adaptations to increase its relevance and uptake. |
Abstract
African Americans experience a disproportionate rate of stress-related health conditions compared to European Americans. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be effective for managing stress and various stress-related health conditions. This study explored the cultural relevance of mindfulness meditation training for African Americans adults. Fifteen African American adults with past or current experience with mindfulness meditation training were interviewed. Participants felt that mindfulness meditation helped them with enhanced stress management, direct health improvement, and enhanced self-awareness and purposefulness. They felt that they would recommend it and that other African Americans would be open to the practice but suggested that its presentation may need to be adapted. They suggested emphasizing the health benefits, connecting it to familiar spiritual ideology and cultural practices, supplementing the reading material with African American writers, increasing communication (education, instructor availability, "buddy system," etc.), and including African Americans as instructors and participants. By implementing minor adaptations that enhance cultural relevance, mindfulness meditation can be a beneficial therapeutic intervention for this population.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 45
- How Effective Are Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Reducing Stress and Weight? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health December 27, 2022
- The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Adapting Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Black American Communities: A Scoping Review Mindfulness August 1, 2023
- Perspectives of Indigenous University Students in Canada on Mindfulness-Based Interventions and their Adaptation to Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Mindfulness February 21, 2023
- Mindfulness Training for Primary Care for Portuguese-Speaking Immigrants: A Pilot Study Frontiers in Psychiatry September 9, 2021
- Using a Randomized Clinical Trial to Test the Efficacy of a Culturally Responsive Mobile Health Application in African Americans. Behavior Therapy July 1, 2024
and 40 more in the library
Cites 10
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Mindfulness Meditation for Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review Substance Abuse October 1, 2009
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Urban Youth The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine February 25, 2011
- Examining mindfulness-based stress reduction: Perceptions from minority older adults residing in a low-income housing facility BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine May 31, 2011
- Evaluation of a mindfulness-based intervention program to decrease blood pressure in low-income African-American older adults. Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine April 1, 2012
and 5 more in the library