Feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of a mobile mindfulness meditation intervention to improve sleep quality among a racially/ethnically diverse population.

Leslie C M Johnson; Jacob J Aiello; Ashna Jagtiani; Kyler N Moore; Lauren Barber; Unjali P Gujral; Dayna A Johnson

doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2022.09.014

Feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of a mobile mindfulness meditation intervention to improve sleep quality among a racially/ethnically diverse population.

Leslie C M Johnson, Jacob J Aiello, Ashna Jagtiani, Kyler N Moore, Lauren Barber, Unjali P Gujral, Dayna A Johnson

Sleep Health April 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2022.09.014 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size	17
Population	Adults enrolled in the MINDS study, average age 30, 88% female, diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds
Intervention	Mindfulness meditation mobile application (Headspace)
Duration	Daily use for 30 days
Topics	Meditation
Keywords	Adaptation Mobile intervention Sleep quality
Key findings	Participants considered the mindfulness meditation mobile app acceptable and feasible for improving sleep, with those reporting at least 50% adherence (daily use for 30 days) saying it helped them fall asleep faster. Evening-only users reported falling asleep faster and staying asleep, while others used the app to relax and faced barriers such as lack of time and navigation difficulty. The authors suggest additional tailoring for Black/African American individuals may improve uptake.

Abstract

To evaluate the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of using a mindfulness meditation mobile application to improve sleep quality among a diverse group of adults. This explanatory qualitative study used online focus group discussions (N = 4 groups with 17 individuals) to collect information about user experiences with a mindfulness meditation mobile application (Headspace) among participants enrolled in the MINDS study. A rapid analyses approach was used to descriptively compare motivators of app use, barriers and facilitators to app use, and perceived tailoring needs across participants. Participants on average were 30 years old, 88% female, and identified as Black/African American (52.9%), White (29.4%), Asian (11.8%), and Hispanic (17.6%). All participants felt the app was acceptable and appreciated the ability to personalize their app experience. Individuals with ≥50% intervention adherence (daily use for 30 days) reported being motivated to use the app because it helped them to fall asleep faster, while the remainder of participants used the app to relax throughout the day and faced external barriers to app use (eg, lack of time) and difficulty with app navigation. Only those participants who used the app exclusively in the evenings reported falling asleep faster and staying asleep. Suggestions for tailoring the app differed by race and age. Only Black/African American participants preferred using an instructor based on their race and gender. Using a mobile meditation app to enhance sleep quality is acceptable and feasible, but additional tailoring for Black/African American individuals may improve uptake in this population.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design	Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan...	2017	Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system	2004	Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety	2006	Exploratory mixed methods study	n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context	2001	Qualitative study	n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators	2013	Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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