Exploring whether mindfulness can enhance ethnic identity among undergraduate and graduate students
Angeline Villanueva Yang, Marilee Bresciani Ludvik, Caren L. Sax, Sylvia Garcia-Navarrete, Wendy S. Bracken, J. Luke Wood, Charles Iyoho
Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning April 17, 2018 DOI: 10.1108/jrit-08-2017-0016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Undergraduate, master's- and doctoral-seeking students |
| Interventions | Integrative inquiry (INIQ) a mindfulness methodology and mindful inquiry training program |
| Measures | Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (Phinney, 1992), mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Among 30 students, INIQ was associated with significant increases in mindfulness and in ethnic learning exploration, while changes in clear understanding, overall ethnic identity achievement, and ethnic belonging were not significant. The authors suggest INIQ may support ethnic learning exploration, an important process in ethnic identity development, and increase mindfulness. |
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore whether attention, emotion, and cognitive regulation (CR) may be strategies to advance one’s ethnic identity. Design/methodology/approach The paper is presented in three parts. The first section discusses integrative inquiry (INIQ) (Bresciani Ludvik et al., 2016), a mindfulness methodology and mindful inquiry training program, as a potential pathway to help mitigate stress and enhance healthy development and well-being strategies that combat stressors related to ethnic and racial identity; and increase opportunities for positive ethnic identity development. INIQ was designed to influence areas of the brain associated with attention regulation, emotion regulation, and CR in order to decrease stress and anxiety, and heighten executive functions of undergraduate and graduate students. The second section discusses an exploratory study to see whether INIQ resulted in higher mean scores for participants on their ethnic identity, as assessed by the multigroup ethnic identity measure (Phinney, 1992).
Findings: The results indicated that there was a significant increase in pre-test and post-test scores for mindfulness (p=0.001) as well as the dependent measure for learning exploration (p=0.028) among 30 undergraduate, master’s- and doctoral-seeking students. There was also a non-significant increase for clear understanding (p=0.15) and overall ethnic identity achievement (p=0.387); and non-significant decrease for ethnic belonging (p=0.424). Originality/value These findings suggest that INIQ may increase students’ ethnic learning exploration, which is an important process in ethnic identity development (Phinney and Ong, 2007). This study also suggests that INIQ increases mindfulness in participants. The authors conclude with a discussion and recommendations to future INIQ and other diversity centered student support practitioners interested in influencing positive ethnic identity formation.
Citations in the library
Cites 17
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources PLoS Biology May 4, 2007
and 12 more in the library