A rationale and framework for sharing mindfulness in trauma-dense communities in South Africa.
South African family practice : official journal of the South African Academy of Family Practice/Primary Care June 9, 2025 DOI: 10.4102/safp.v67i1.6114 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Graduates of a mindfulness training program at Stellenbosch University |
| Duration | 2-year training |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Continuous traumatic stress Mindfulness-based interventions Mindfulness-based pedagogy Trauma-sensitive mindfulness Trauma support Community well-being Intervention development |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | A new, emergent curriculum for mindfulness training that is more context- and trauma-sensitive, accessible, relevant, and Afro-centric has been developed based on research with graduates of a Stellenbosch University programme. |
Abstract
Mindfulness has its historical roots in the teachings of the Buddha. The core of these teachings addresses the causes and relief of human suffering. It is a way of being with experience, through awareness of the present moment, in service of compassion and wisdom. Its universal applicability lies in the fact that it is an innate human capacity, which can be developed through practice. Mindfulness has moved into broader contemporary society through the emergence of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) over the last 50 years and an associated robust research base. Mindfulness-based pedagogy has been largely restricted to first-world countries although a 2-year training at Stellenbosch University has been an exception to this. Research based on the experience of graduates of this programme has resulted in a new, emergent curriculum that is more context- and trauma-sensitive, to better meet the challenges of the local setting, and to make learning how to share mindfulness with others more accessible, relevant and Afro-centric.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2004
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
and 7 more in the library