ABSTRACT
In recent years, more publications have documented the inclusion of all African American samples in mindfulness-based stress reduction programs. However, the content of the stressor experiences that may influence mindfulness' relationship with coping strategy preferences has not been explored. The coping strategy preferences among mindful African Americans may vary depending on the saliency of race during a stressful experience. This study investigated whether a brief mindfulness intervention influenced coping strategy preferences among African Americans across types of stressful situations. One hundred and eighty-six African American college students were randomly assigned to one of the six conditions in a 2 (mindful; control) x 3 (family, race-related, non-social) factorial design. The dependent variables were the coping strategies that were selected after reading the stressor scenario. Individuals in the “mindful” and “race-related stressor” condition were significantly less likely to select the planning and active coping strategies to deal with the stressor compared to all of the other conditions. These findings suggest that acknowledging stressor content may be an important consideration for mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions targeting African Americans.
