Compassionate meditation to heal from race-related stress: A pilot study with Asian Americans.
Wei-Chin Hwang, Courtney P Chan
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 2019 DOI: 10.1037/ort0000372 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Asian American college students |
| Intervention | Compassionate meditation |
| Duration | 8-session program |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Participants evidenced decreases in general distress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms after the compassionate meditation program. |
Abstract
Racism and race-related stress can negatively impact the mental health status of ethnic minorities. In recent years, college campuses have held demonstrations to promote awareness regarding racism and to call for resources to help improve campus climate and to address the needs of students of color. This study answers this call by developing and evaluating the benefits of a peer-led compassionate meditation program to help students of color heal from race-related stress. To date, no studies have examined whether compassionate meditation (a specific type of meditation) can be used as a therapeutic tool to address racial stress. This article discusses the formative process for developing and pilot-testing the effects of this culturally responsive 8-session compassionate meditation program with Asian American college students. Despite a small sample size, results were promising. and participants evidenced decreases in general distress, as well as depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Moreover, by the end of the program, fewer students were clinically depressed. The results of this study provide some initial evidence that brief, culturally responsive compassionate meditation interventions may be a promising and cost-effective method for addressing the impact of racism and race-related stress. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Mindfulness and compassion in response to racism Diaspora Indigenous and Minority Education September 11, 2023
- The Effect of Daily Meditative Practices Based on Mindfulness and Self-Compassion on Emotional Distress under Stressful Conditions: A Randomized Controlled Trial. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education April 10, 2023
Cites 12
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist 2006
- Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. American Psychologist 2006
and 7 more in the library