App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
BackgroundPeople 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 may be especially well suited to help POC cope, given its emphasis on gaining...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2022-04-01
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| Series: | JMIR Research Protocols |
| Online Access: | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/4/e35196 |
| _version_ | 1797735108398022656 |
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| author | Giovanni Ramos Adrian Aguilera Amanda Montoya Anna Lau Chu Yin Wen Victor Cruz Torres Denise Chavira |
| author_facet | Giovanni Ramos Adrian Aguilera Amanda Montoya Anna Lau Chu Yin Wen Victor Cruz Torres Denise Chavira |
| author_sort | Giovanni Ramos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BackgroundPeople 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 may be especially well suited to help POC cope, given its emphasis on gaining awareness and acceptance of emotions associated with discriminatory treatment. However, mindfulness meditation rarely reaches POC, and digital approaches could reduce this treatment gap by addressing traditional barriers to care.
ObjectiveThis study will test the effectiveness of a self-directed app-based mindfulness meditation program among POC who experience elevated levels of race-related stress. Implementation outcomes such as treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined.
MethodsParticipants (n=80) will be recruited online by posting recruitment materials on social media and sending emails to relevant groups. In-person recruitment will consist of posting flyers in communities with significant POC representation. Eligible participants will be block randomized to either the intervention group (n=40) that will complete a self-directed 4-week mindfulness meditation program or a wait-list control condition (n=40) that will receive access to the app after study completion. All participants will complete measures at baseline, midtreatment, and posttreatment. Primary outcomes include changes in stress, anxiety, and depression, and secondary outcomes constitute changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, rumination, emotion suppression, and experiential avoidance. Exploratory analyses will examine whether changes in the secondary outcomes mediate changes in primary outcomes. Finally, treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined descriptively.
ResultsRecruitment began in October 2021. Data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling, a statistical methodology that accounts for the dependence among repeated observations. Considering attrition issues 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.
ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this will be the first study to provide data on the effectiveness of a self-directed app-based mindfulness meditation program for POC recruited based on elevated race-related stress, a high-risk population. Similarly, meaningful clinical targets for POC affected by stressors related to race will be examined. Findings will provide important information regarding whether this type of intervention is an acceptable treatment among these marginalized groups.
Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05027113; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05027113
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/35196 |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:54:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-237ad9fcd9aa4066afd7d3eca8b6623a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1929-0748 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T12:54:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR Research Protocols |
| spelling | doaj.art-237ad9fcd9aa4066afd7d3eca8b6623a2023-08-28T21:24:43ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482022-04-01114e3519610.2196/35196App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled TrialGiovanni Ramoshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5445-5180Adrian Aguilerahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1773-8768Amanda Montoyahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9316-8184Anna Lauhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1142-2175Chu Yin Wenhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3572-4848Victor Cruz Torreshttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8214-219XDenise Chavirahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6403-2509 BackgroundPeople 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 may be especially well suited to help POC cope, given its emphasis on gaining awareness and acceptance of emotions associated with discriminatory treatment. However, mindfulness meditation rarely reaches POC, and digital approaches could reduce this treatment gap by addressing traditional barriers to care. ObjectiveThis study will test the effectiveness of a self-directed app-based mindfulness meditation program among POC who experience elevated levels of race-related stress. Implementation outcomes such as treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined. MethodsParticipants (n=80) will be recruited online by posting recruitment materials on social media and sending emails to relevant groups. In-person recruitment will consist of posting flyers in communities with significant POC representation. Eligible participants will be block randomized to either the intervention group (n=40) that will complete a self-directed 4-week mindfulness meditation program or a wait-list control condition (n=40) that will receive access to the app after study completion. All participants will complete measures at baseline, midtreatment, and posttreatment. Primary outcomes include changes in stress, anxiety, and depression, and secondary outcomes constitute changes in mindfulness, self-compassion, rumination, emotion suppression, and experiential avoidance. Exploratory analyses will examine whether changes in the secondary outcomes mediate changes in primary outcomes. Finally, treatment acceptability, adherence, and satisfaction will be examined descriptively. ResultsRecruitment began in October 2021. Data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling, a statistical methodology that accounts for the dependence among repeated observations. Considering attrition issues 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. ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this will be the first study to provide data on the effectiveness of a self-directed app-based mindfulness meditation program for POC recruited based on elevated race-related stress, a high-risk population. Similarly, meaningful clinical targets for POC affected by stressors related to race will be examined. Findings will provide important information regarding whether this type of intervention is an acceptable treatment among these marginalized groups. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05027113; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05027113 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/35196https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/4/e35196 |
| spellingShingle | Giovanni Ramos Adrian Aguilera Amanda Montoya Anna Lau Chu Yin Wen Victor Cruz Torres Denise Chavira App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR Research Protocols |
| title | App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | app based mindfulness meditation for people of color who experience race related stress protocol for a randomized controlled trial |
| url | https://www.researchprotocols.org/2022/4/e35196 |
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