Date
2-28-2025
Department
School of Behavioral Sciences
Degree
Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)
Chair
Tracy Baker
Keywords
Mindfulness, racism, Christian, depression, Black women
Disciplines
Counseling | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Delmadge, Latoya Angela, "The Perception of Mindfulness Practices of Middle-Aged Black Christian Women Who Self-Diagnosed With Depression And Have Experiences with Racism" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6500.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6500
Abstract
Black Christians rely heavily on their spiritual leaders for guidance and support when dealing with emotional and psychological issues. Consequently, counseling interventions such as mindfulness are often met with much resistance. The origin of mindfulness from the Buddhist culture may present a barrier to Christians incorporating such practices as meditation into their lifestyle. Lack of understanding still poses a limitation for middle-aged Christian women of color to engage in mindfulness practices. This qualitative transcendental phenomenological study explored the perceptions of mindfulness-based practices among Black middle-aged Christian women self-diagnosed with depression and how this intervention can be used to cope with experiences of racism using the theoretical framework of mindfulness to meaning and experiential learning theory. The central research question for this study was how do middle-aged Christian black women, who self-diagnose with depression and live in Queens and Brooklyn, NY, describe their perceptions of mindfulness and how this intervention is used to cope with experiences of racism, a contributing factor for depression? The sample size for this study was 12middle-aged Black Christian women, dependent on saturation being met. Data were collected using the demographic survey and a semi-structured open-ended interview via the video platform, Zoom. Another data source to validate the findings of the interview questions, a focus group of identified participants was facilitated. Moustakas (1994) transcendental phenomenological method was utilized to analyze the data. The themes and subthemes that were derived from this study, were limited understanding of mindfulness with the subthemes of views on meditation, openness to learning and lack of exposure during childhood; the theme incorporating Christian practices had two subthemes which were prayer and meditation. Emotions and experiences with racism had the subthemes of anger, avoidance and lack of awareness as well as mindfulness to increase awareness. The fourth theme was self-confidence and identity, and religious affiliation as a protective factor had the subthemes of triggers and mindfulness practices to cope. This study has significance for counselors, clergy, and others in the helping professions who work with the population of focus for this study.
