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Initial Efficacy of a Community-Derived Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Latinx Parents and their Children

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Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may offer a means for Latinx families to ameliorate stress, enhance emotion regulation, and foster social support. We assessed pilot data from Latinx parents in Eastside Los Angeles (n = 27) matched with their children aged 10–16 (n = 32) to determine whether participation in a community-derived MBI was associated with greater improvements in dispositional mindfulness, perceived stress, emotion regulation, and family social support compared to a control condition. Compared to the control group, parents in the MBI group showed greater reductions in perceived stress scale (PSS) scores (B =  − 2.94, 95% CI [− 5.58, − 0.39], p = 0.029), while their children reported greater increases in perceived social support from family (B = 2.32, 95% CI [0.26, 4.38], p = 0.027). Findings show a community-derived MBI may improve stress in Latinx parents and social support for their children.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (#1R24MD007978), the University of California, Los Angeles Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Program in Global HIV Prevention Research NIMH grant 5T32MH080634-13, and National Institute of Mental Health (#P30MH058107). Thanks to the following staff and volunteers who made this project possible. From Bienestar: Frank Galvan, Carina Palacios, Flor Vindel, Ying-Tung Chen; From Legacy LA: Ruby Rivera, Sarah Reyes, Isaac Caldera, Jeanny Marroquin, Isabel Marquez, Martha Gonzalez, Marlene Arazo, Karina Licon, Evangeline Ordaz; From USC: Amy Rodriquez, Maryann Pentz, Tess Cruz, Jessica Tobin, Patricia Escobedo, James Thing, Jimi Huh, Donna Spruijt-Metz; and consultants: Michael Mata, Peter Hovmand, and Jill Kuhlberg.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1800, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA

    Michael J. Li

  2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

    Michael J. Li, Karina Dominguez, David S. Black, Jennifer B. Unger, Chih-Ping Chou, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati & Ricky N. Bluthenthal

  3. Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Woodacre, USA

    JoAnna Hardy

  4. Insight Meditation Society, Barre, USA

    JoAnna Hardy

  5. Legacy LA, Los Angeles, USA

    Lou Calanche

  6. Department of Public Health, California State University, Fullerton, USA

    Anthony S. DiStefano

  7. Bienestar Human Services, Los Angeles, USA

    Robert Contreras

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  1. Michael J. Li
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  2. JoAnna Hardy
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Correspondence to Michael J. Li.

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Li, M.J., Hardy, J., Calanche, L. et al. Initial Efficacy of a Community-Derived Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Latinx Parents and their Children. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 993–1000 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-021-01154-2

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