BACKGROUND
People of color (POC) who experience race-related stress are at risk of developing mental health problems, including high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness meditation (MM) may be especially well suited to help POC cope, given their emphasis on gaining awareness and acceptance of emotions associated with discriminatory treatment. However, MM rarely reaches POC, and the use of digital approaches could reduce this treatment gap by addressing traditional barriers to care.
OBJECTIVE
The current study will test the effectiveness of a self-directed app-based mindfulness meditation program among POC who experience elevated levels of race-related stress. Similarly, important implementation outcomes, including treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined.
METHODS
Participants (n = 80) will be recruited online, sending emails to relevant listservs, and posting fliers in communities of color. Eligible participants will be block randomized to either 1) the intervention group (n = 40) where they will complete a self-directed 4-week MM program, or 2) a wait-list control condition (n = 40) that will receive access to the app after study completion. All participants will complete measures at baseline, mid-, and post-treatment. Primary outcomes include changes in stress, anxiety, and depression. Secondary outcomes include changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, rumination, emotion suppression, and experiential avoidance. Exploratory analyses will examine whether changes in primary outcomes are mediated by changes in the secondary outcomes. Finally, treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined descriptively.
RESULTS
Recruitment began in October 2021. Data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling, a statistical methodology that accounts for the dependence among repeated observations. Considering issues of attrition in self-directed digital interventions and their potential effects on statistical significance and treatment effect sizes, we will examine data using both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.
CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this will be the first study to provide data on the effectiveness of an app-based mindfulness program for POC recruited based on elevated race-related stress, a high-risk population. Findings will also provide important information regarding whether a self-directed app-based MM interventions are an acceptable treatment among this underserved population.
CLINICALTRIAL
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05027113; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05027113
