The Protective Role of Mindfulness in the Relationship Between Perceived Discrimination and Depression
Amanda J Shallcross, Tanya M Spruill
Mindfulness November 4, 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-017-0845-4 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 97 |
| Population | Community-based sample of racial and ethnic minority adults |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Trait mindfulness moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms: individuals low in mindfulness reported elevated depressive symptoms at high levels of discrimination, whereas those high in mindfulness reported lower depressive symptoms at high discrimination levels, with results robust to adjustment for age, sex, and income. The authors suggest mindfulness may confer resilience and could be a modifiable target for coping with discrimination. |
Abstract
This study examined the potential buffering role of trait mindfulness in the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms in a community-based sample of racial and ethnic minority adults. Analyses conducted on 97 participants indicated that self-reported trait mindfulness moderated the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms. Individuals low in mindfulness experienced elevated depressive symptoms at high levels of discrimination. However, individuals high in mindfulness reported lower depressive symptoms at high levels of discrimination. Results remained robust when controlling for potential confounding effects of age, sex, and income. Results suggest mindfulness is an important individual difference that may confer resilience for racial and ethnic minority communities who experience disproportionate levels of discrimination-related stressors and health disparities. Findings point to the potential utility of interventions that target mindfulness as a modifiable skill that can be used specifically to cope with discrimination. Socio-cultural considerations for the use of mindfulness-based approaches in racial and ethnic minority communities are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metacognitive awareness and prevention of relapse in depression: Empirical evidence. Residually depressed patients and nondepressed controls; recovered depressed patients | 2002 | Observational cohort with intervention components | |
| Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Patients with treatment-resistant depression | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 19 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 30 |
| Altered peripheral immune profiles in treatment-resistant depression: response to ketamine and prediction of treatment outcome Healthy controls and actively depressed patients with treatment-resistant depression... | 2017 | Observational cohort | n = 59 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 12
- Relationships Among PTSD, Trait Mindfulness, and Factors of SUD in Veterans Enrolled in Specialty SUD Treatment. Substance use & addiction journal July 1, 2025
- Prenatal Mindfulness Training and Race-Related Vigilance The Journal of cardiovascular nursing September 23, 2026
- A Brief, Digital Music-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Black Americans With Elevated Race-Based Anxiety and Little-to-No Meditation Experience ("healing attempt"): Replication and Extension Study. JMIR Formative Research November 24, 2023
- Resisting Racial Microaggressions: Assessing the Moderated-Mediation Effects of Racial Microaggressions, Mindfulness Traits, Depression, and Purpose in Life Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion August 4, 2026
- Mindfulness and Valued Living in the Face of Racism‑Related Stress. Mindfulness January 14, 2022
and 7 more in the library
Cites 7
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- The Cultural Relevance of Mindfulness Meditation as a Health Intervention for African Americans Journal of Holistic Nursing January 17, 2014
- "Letting Go" (Implicitly): Priming Mindfulness Mitigates the Effects of a Moderate Social Stressor. Frontiers in Psychology June 13, 2016
- Relapse prevention in major depressive disorder: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy versus an active control condition. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology October 2015
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves emotional reactivity to social stress: results from a randomized controlled trial. Behavior Therapy October 1, 2011
and 2 more in the library