Abstract
Objectives
Much of the research involving mindfulness, meditation, and other awareness-based interventions have repeated many historical patterns in non-participatory research that exclude Black communities and perpetuate racial hierarchies. A shift toward community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches is critical to facilitating authentic community partnership and advancing racial equity. The objective of this case study was to describe the evolution of a research-practice partnership within a parent mindfulness intervention study, which took place at a predominantly Black school community, as the project team increasingly incorporated CBPR principles into the project.
Method
Following pilot phase, the project team (including researchers, mindfulness teachers, and project staff) along with a cohort of prior participants engaged in a series of facilitated reflective discussions and semi-structured interviews. These discussions examined various challenges within the research-practice partnership and the principles of CBPR that alleviated these challenges, to highlight key lessons learned from critical phases of the project.
Results
The case study demonstrates that applying CBPR principles cultivated an enhance sense of authentic partnership in key phases of the project: developing a theory of change (TOC) and evaluation strategy; assembling project team roles and responsibilities; measure selection, data collection and interpretation; and during dissemination efforts.
Conclusions
Our lessons learned demonstrate how a commitment to CBPR principles can culminate in an intervention and evaluation process grounded in racial equity and help build community investment in mindfulness research.
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Data Availability
De-identified study data can be released to qualified researchers under a data use agreement by contacting the senior author.
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Acknowledgements
All the school staff at Educare DC, who supported the Mindful Parenting Project. All the caregivers who participated in the Mindful Parenting Project and the interviewees who shaped this manuscript. Kaira Jewel for leadership and dedication toward bringing mindfulness to families
Funding
Mindfulness Parenting Project is funded by the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.
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Contributions
JH: contributed to the conception of the study, supervised data collection and analysis, and provided substantial revisions to the manuscript.
JCW: contributed substantially to manuscript development and provided critical revisions to the manuscript.
NB: assisted with data collection, contributed substantially to manuscript development, and provided critical revisions to the manuscript.
SKLM: assisted with data collection, provided resources and guidance throughout the study, critically reviewed and edited the manuscript for important intellectual content.
TS: provided expertise in the study design, and data interpretation, and critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content.
DC-S: contributed to the experimental design, data collection, and analysis. Provided substantial feedback on the manuscript.
CED: provided expertise in the study design, data interpretation, and critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content.
MGB: provided expertise in the study design, data interpretation, and critically revised the manuscript for intellectual content.
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Hawkins, J., Williams, J.C., Bravo, N. et al. Evolving Toward Community-Based Participatory Research: Lessons Learned from a Mindful Parenting Project. Mindfulness (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02289-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02289-z