Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Human Services

Advisor

Randy Heinrich

Abstract

Hispanic adolescents’ accessibility to treatment options for depression is met with limitations associated with financial barriers and cultural misalignment. This research study aimed to bring to light an alternative psychotherapy treatment through the foundations of mindfulness interventions. The goal was to understand the experience of Hispanic adolescents when engaging in mindfulness in a school setting. The purpose of this study was to gather information about the experiences of Hispanic adolescents using mindfulness to support mental health practitioners, school counselors, and behavioral interventionists to provide treatment options that are accessible and meet the needs of this culture group. This explanatory case study focused on Hispanic adolescents ages 14-18 engaging in an 8-week school-based mindfulness intervention group. The data was collected through parents/guardian and teacher interviews, adolescent reflections, and archival documents provided by group facilitator. The data were analyzed using thematic and propositional analysis to answer “how” and “why” mindfulness may benefit Hispanic adolescents. This study showed that mindfulness played a vital role in the gradual increase in positive well-being for Hispanic adolescents over the 8 weeks. Furthermore, parents and teachers were positively impacted by their intentional focus on the adolescents during the 8 weeks. These findings indicate a positive outlook for continued research in understanding the perspectives of mindfulness for Hispanic adolescents with depression or depressive symptoms from a larger sample population, as well as understanding the perspective of mindfulness as a treatment option for other minority culture groups, specifically African Americans.

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