Stress Among Ethnic Minority Adolescents and Mindfulness Intervention

Abstract

The purpose of the proposed research is to investigate the effect of a school-based mindfulness-based intervention on stress among ethnic minority adolescents. Preliminary research findings show that mindfulness-based therapies effectively reduce stress, depressive disorders, and other mental health conditions in at-risk adolescents (Bluth et al., 2019). There exist several studies on the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions on stress and depression among youths. However, the majority of previous investigations have focused on diverse groups without considering any specific category. Therefore, this research will use a randomized control trial to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based mindfulness intervention measures on school-going, African American adolescents. Stratified sampling method will be used to select a sample of 90 participants from three schools. The results of this investigation will be analyzed using SPSS and correlational statistical methods.

In this presentation, I provide a brief overview of my research proposal. Adolescence constitutes a very critical stage in human development and intervention, especially among at-risk adolescents. Effective intervention at this point can help “promote emotional well-being, deter problematic behavior, and prevent the onset of life-long challenges” (Bluth et al., p. 90). Mindfulness-based therapies effectively address mental health conditions such as stress and depression among at-risk teenagers (Bluth et al., 2019). Therefore, the purpose of my investigation is to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention in the treatment of stress among ethnic minority adolescents.

Research Questions and Literature Review

Many youths are at risk for developing anxiety defects in schools and other settings. In my preliminary literature review, I found several studies have explored the risk factors and consequences of mental health problems, stress disorders, and potential intervention measures. In an earlier controlled randomized trial (CRT), Bluth et al. (2016) found that ethnically diverse, at-risk youths in the experimental group exhibited reduced depression levels than their peers in the control classes. These findings are confirmed by a more current CRT which established that a school-based mindfulness intervention effectively lowered the behavior challenges and enhanced emotion control results among ethnic minority youth with high depression features (Fung et al., 2019). Consequently, a mindfulness program is beneficial for ethnic minority youth in reducing perceived stress and coopting challenges. The above conclusion can be supported by evidence from several other empirical studies. In their investigation of cognitive-based therapy (CBT) among Hong Kongese youths, Wong et al. (2018) revealed that CBT is an effective method in improving the total anxiety symptoms and personal growth. Intervention measures need to promote various aspects of a child, including resiliency to distress disorders.

Despite numerous studies on this topic, I have established that most previous research has investigated mindfulness involving diverse groups without considering any specific category. Only one study by Bluth et al. (2016) has considered the effect of mindfulness intervention among adolescents from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Minority groups such as those from poor backgrounds experience several challenges that expose them to stress. Ethnic minority groups are also a sensitive category that is vulnerable to distress and, hence, the need for mindfulness intervention measures. Therefore, my research proposal seeks to fill this gap by answering the following questions:

1. What types of mental conditions affect African American youths?
2. What is the level of depression and stress among ethnic minority African American youth?
3. What is the effectiveness of school-based mindfulness intervention measures on school-going, African American adolescents?

Null Hypothesis and Hypothesis

My research study hypothesizes that school-based mindfulness intervention therapies are effective in reducing stress conditions among black adolescents. The null hypothesis is that school-based mindfulness interventions have no effect on stress conditions among African American youths.

Research Design

I will employ a randomized control trial research design to investigate the efficacy of school-based mindfulness therapy on stress among African American adolescents. The students will complete an online baseline assessment after obtaining their informed consent and permission to conduct the investigation. A computer program will then be helpful to randomly assign the students to one of the available two programs from the navigational period, including mindfulness and drug abuse prevention.

Participants and Recruitment

The target population of the proposed research comprises school-going adolescent students from three high schools in three different states. The students will be drawn from grades 9-12. A stratified sampling technique will select a representative sample of 90 students, 30 learners from each of the three schools. The selection will focus on ethnic minority students, particularly African American adolescents.

Research Instruments

The researcher will use the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to evaluate participants’ stress levels. This self-reported tool is specifically designed to assess stress levels through a four-item Likert Scale. The Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM) will be utilized to evaluate participants’ mindfulness. CAMM is an empirically validated, self-reported 25-item tool developed to measure mindfulness levels among children and adolescents aged between 10 and 17.

Proposed Statistical Analysis

The researcher will use SPSS 2.0 package to analyze results with a statistical significance set at p˂0.05 using two-tailed tests. Pearson correlation, chi-square tests or Fisher’s exact tests for definite data, and independent t-test for continuous statistics will be employed to analyze the statistical data. Descriptive data will then be presented for research enrolment retention before calculating class attendance rates representing several attended vs. the potential classes. The researcher will compare change scores across the different educational levels to obtain psychological results using the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests due to recognizable orientation.

References

Bluth, K., Campo, R. A., Pruteanu-Malinici, S., Reams, A., Mullarkey, M., & Broderick, P. C. (2016). A school-based mindfulness pilot study for ethnically diverse at-risk adolescents. Mindfulness, 7(1), 90-104. Web.

Fung, J., Kim, J. J., Jin, J., Chen, G., Bear, L., & Lau, A. S. (2019). A randomized trial evaluating school based mindfulness intervention for ethnic minority youth: exploring mediators and moderators of intervention effects. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(1), 1-19. Web.

Wong, D. F., Kwok, S. Y., Low, Y. T., Man, K. W., & Ip, P. S. (2018). Evaluating effectiveness of cognitive–behavior therapy for Hong Kong adolescents with anxiety problems. Research on Social Work Practice, 28(5), 585-594. Web.