Culturally Tailored Mindfulness-Positive Psychological Intervention Using Virtual Reality

Discrimination and Mental Health of Older Korean Adults in the U.S.: Feasibility and Pilot Trial of a Culturally Tailored Mindfulness-Positive Psychological Intervention Using Virtual Reality

This study is to explore the experience of older Korean adults with anti-Asian racism in the U.S. and investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a virtual reality-based culturally tailored mindfulness-positive psychological intervention. Primary outcome is racism-related stress and secondary outcomes are negative mental health (e.g., anxiety, depressive symptoms, and anxiety) and positive psychological well-being (e.g., positive affect, optimism, life engagement, mindful attention awareness).

Inclusion Criteria:

• U.S. Korean Americans/immigrants
• ≥ 60 years of age
• Korean fluency
• no medical history of cognitive impairments (e.g., dementia or Alzheimer-related diseases)
• self-reported direct experience of discrimination as per the Everyday Discrimination Scale

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe cognitive impairment denoting dementia
• other ethnicities rather than Korean Americans/immigrants
• younger than 60 years of age
• cannot speak and read Korean
• have not experienced any discrimination
• serious sensory problems negating the use of virtual reality
• medical history of epilepsy, seizures, or vertigo
• experience in mindfulness or meditation-based programs