Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in individual and group formats, have been shown to be effective for a variety of psychological disorders. Due to the promising evidence supporting the wide applicability of mindfulness skills, graduate student therapists were trained to deliver groups that attracted diverse individuals across the lifespan. In these groups, therapists noted how intergenerational dynamics facilitated group cohesion and allowed for increased normalization of common challenges related to practicing mindfulness skills. Therapists’ prior training on cohort differences and treatment recommendations for older adults served as an important foundation to navigating these group interactions. Barriers to simultaneously collecting data and delivering intervention components were noted by the student therapists. Future research and therapist training gaps in knowledge related to effectively facilitating intergenerational groups were identified.
Purpose COVID-19 has devastated the United States (U.S.). One of the more notably impacted areas is the South. Compared to the rest of the U.S., the South is characterized by increased rurality, lowered access to healthcare, older populations, and higher religiosity, all of which might predispose its residents to more detrimental effects of COVID-19, including COVID-related fatalities. As such, this paper provides important considerations for individuals engaging in work with Southern, rural Americans dealing with COVID-related grief and loss. Methods A review of the literature addressing the impact of Southern legislature, rurality, cross-country factors, and faith on COVID-related grief among Southerners was conducted, with applicable considerations expressed. Conclusions Care should be taken by providers working with rural, Southern residents to attend to tangible and intangible losses experienced as a result of COVID-19. These considerations can help inform work with rural Southerners dealing with grief during the pandemic.
This talk explores the importance of a racially diverse graduate student interacting in an applied care setting with minority older adults in the Southeast relative to assessment of cognitive status and in the context of cultural mistrust and misdiagnosis. ~250 older adults (16% AA) in an applied care setting were administered a cognitive screener as part of a larger research battery. An independent samples t-test was conducted to assess differences in mean cognitive status. Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) (M=76.8 years) were found to be more intact than AAs (M=73.27) on measures of cognitive status (21.32 vs. 14.72, t=4.976, p=.0001). Implications highlight that cognitive screeners have often been found to lack sensitivity in groups of marginalized older adults. Having an AA graduate student in these settings could be a way of mitigating the effects of culturally incompatible screening tools and bridging the gap between research and practice for AA older adults.
This talk will explore: 1) the conceptual importance of select interpersonal factors inherent to Black culture and bereavement, and 2) the impact of these factors on grief in a Black bereaved sample. 103 Black adults aged 45+ were administered items assessing cultural (communalism, experienced racial violence) and bereavement-specific (expectancy and suddenness of loss, closeness to the deceased, anger) factors. Using linear regressions, closeness (p<.001), suddenness (p=.020), anger (p<.001), and communalism (p<.001) predicted reported levels of grief. This study identifies factors which substantially dictate the experienced levels of grief of bereaved Black adults in the latter half of life. With cultural factors notably impacting the Black bereavement experience, individuals seeking to work with this population must adopt strategies to keep bereaved Black adults connected to their communities throughout their loss. Resources to support Black adults in maintaining healthy continuing bonds with the deceased through abrupt or unsettling losses also appear paramount.
This study sought to investigate grief outcomes among older African American (AA) women following the recent loss of a loved one. Whether or not the “strong Black woman” (SBW) schema of presenting unwavering strength despite adversity was present in recently bereaved older AA women, specifically related to depressive outcomes, also was explored. Eleven AA women aged 46 years and older (M=64.2), completed one time, in-person semi-structured interviews detailing their grief experiences. Interview transcripts were then coded by a team using an inductive qualitative approach. Four themes emerged throughout the women’s bereavement experience: 1) Acceptance of Loss and Preparation, 2) Coping as a Gradual Passing of Time, 3) Engaging in Other Activities to Cope with Loss, and 4) Helping Others Cope. About a third of the women in the sample reported being clinically depressed in accordance with the specifications for Major Depressive Disorder reported in the DSM 5. AA women in the sample were found to portray not only the stoicism consistent with the SBW schema, but also themes consistent with embodying the schema during their bereavement experience. More research and attention should be paid to AA women’s manifestations of depression, under the knowledge that AA women may have nontraditional depressive symptom presentations. Further, the tendency for the SBW schema to emerge during bereavement should be addressed with AA women in clinical practice, as lack of awareness of the use of this mechanism could lead to exacerbated, adverse adjustment.
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