title: Community-Based Mindfulness Program for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Targeting Stress Reduction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Poorly managed stress leads to detrimental physical and psychological consequences that have implications for individual and community health. Evidence indicates that U.S. adults predominantly use unhealthy strategies for stress management. This study examines the impact of a community-based mindfulness training program on stress reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a one-group pretest-posttest design.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center in urban Los Angeles.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of N = 127 community residents (84% Caucasian, 74% female) were included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants received mindfulness training through the Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPs) for Daily Living I.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mindfulness, self-compassion, and perceived stress were measured at baseline and postintervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired-sample t-tests were used to test for changes in outcome measures from baseline to postintervention. Hierarchical regression analysis was fit to examine whether change in self-reported mindfulness and self-compassion predicted postintervention perceived stress scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were statistically significant improvements in self-reported mindfulness (t = -10.67, p < .001, d = .90), self-compassion (t = -8.50, p < .001, d = .62), and perceived stress (t = 9.28, p < .001, d = -.78) at postintervention. Change in self-compassion predicted postintervention perceived stress (β = -.44, t = -5.06, p < .001), but change in mindfulness did not predict postintervention perceived stress (β = -.04, t = -.41, p = .68).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that a community-based mindfulness training program can lead to reduced levels of psychological stress. Mindfulness training programs such as MAPs may offer a promising approach for general public health promotion through improving stress management in the urban community.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Galla
authors.forename: Gillian A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
authors.forename: M Jennifer
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kitil
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Smalley
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Black
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000193:education*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*
keywords: Community-Based; Health Promotion; Health focus: stress management; Mindfulness; Outcome measure: psychosocial; Prevention Research. Manuscript format: research; Public Health; Research purpose: intervention testing; Setting: local community; Strategy: skill building/behavior change; Stress Management; Stress Reduction; Study design: quasi-experimental; Target population circumstances: geographic location; Target population: adults