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Mindfulness and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity in Urban African-American High School Students

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Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the current study was to examine the relations among mindfulness, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity, and stressful life events (SLEs) in African-American urban adolescents. Another aim was to examine mindfulness as a moderator of the relation between SLEs and PTSD symptom severity in this population. Method: Eighty-eight African-American high school students from a low-income urban community completed measures of demographics, PTSD symptom severity, SLEs, and mindfulness. Results: Mindfulness was significantly negatively related to PTSD symptom severity, r(86) = −.70, p < .001, 95% CI [−.58, −79], and SLEs were significantly positively related to PTSD symptom severity, r(86) = .29, p = .003, 95% CI [.09, .47]. Mindfulness was an independent predictor of PTSD symptom severity after accounting for SLEs, B = −1.16, t(84) = −9.06, p < .001, 95% CI [−1.41, −0.90], and SLEs were an independent predictor of PTSD symptom severity after accounting for mindfulness, B = 0.49, t(84) = 2.92, p = .004, 95% CI [0.16, 0.82]. Mindfulness did not moderate the relation between SLEs and PTSD symptom severity, B = −.003, t(84) = −0.15, p = .89, 95% CI [−.04, .03]. Implications: This study has implications for both mindfulness as a potential protective factor against PTSD symptom severity and SLEs as a potential risk factor for increased PTSD symptom severity in African-American urban adolescents.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Holistic Life Foundation for their many contributions to the larger project this study is a part of and all they do for the City of Baltimore. We would also like to thank Sara Tafeen for her work towards the design and implementation of the larger project and Eleni Rizakos for her work towards the implementation of the larger project. We also thank the Baltimore City Public School administrators, teachers, and students who made the larger project possible.

Funding

This research was supported in part by a grant from the Loyola University Maryland Dean’s Supplemental Professional Development Fund and a Loyola University Maryland Summer Research Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1308 Sherwood Avenue, Box 980489, Richmond, VA, 23220, USA

    Jacob C. S. Schmitz

  2. Department of Psychology, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jason M. Prenoveau & Jeffery M. Lating

  3. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Alison A. Papadakis

  4. Office of the Provost, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA

    Adanna J. Johnson

  5. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Tamar Mendelson

  6. College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services, Evaluation Services Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jacinda K. Dariotis

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Contributions

All authors were involved in the development of the current manuscript. All authors aside from Jeffery Lating and Adanna Johnson were involved in the design and implementation of the larger study. Jason Prenoveau, Jeffery Lating, and Adanna Johnson were involved in the design of the present study. Jacob Schmitz was involved in all aspects of the present and larger studies as well as conducting analyses and writing the manuscript for the present study.

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Correspondence to Jacob C. S. Schmitz.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board at Loyola University Maryland FWA00013527. It is also in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and other similar ethical standards.

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Schmitz, J.C.S., Prenoveau, J.M., Papadakis, A.A. et al. Mindfulness and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Severity in Urban African-American High School Students. Psychiatr Q 92, 85–99 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-020-09774-x

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