JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Race-based anxiety is a critical health issue within the Black community. Mindfulness interventions hold promise for treating race-based anxiety in Black Americans; however, there are many barriers that prevent Black Americans from using these treatments, such as low cultural relevance, significant time burdens, and excessive costs.

Objective:

This study is a replication and extension of findings that healing attempt – a brief (<60 minute), digital, music-based mindfulness intervention – is a feasible and acceptable intervention for race-based anxiety in Black Americans; in this study, we tested this research question among those with little-to-no meditation experience.

Methods:

Participants were four Black American adults with elevated race-based trait anxiety and little-to-no meditation experience. We used a series of multiple-baseline single-case experiments and conducted study visits on Zoom to assess whether the intervention can decrease state anxiety and increase mindfulness and self-compassion in Black Americans. We also assessed feasibility and acceptability using quantitative and qualitative scales.

Results:

In line with our hypotheses, “healing attempt” increased mindfulness/self-compassion [Tau U Range: 0.57, 0.86; p < 0.001] and decreased state anxiety [Tau-U Range: -0.93, -0.66; p < 0.001], with high feasibility and acceptability (the average likelihood of recommending healing attempt was 88 out of 100).

Conclusions:

“healing attempt” may represent a feasible intervention for race-based anxiety in Black Americans with elevated race-based anxiety and little or no mindfulness experience. Future between-subjects randomized feasibility trials can assess whether the intervention can give rise to lasting improvements in race-based anxiety, mindfulness, and self-compassion.