BIO

I am a freshman Behavioral Neuroscience major from Miami, Fl. I am interested in research focusing on mental health.

Implicit Bias, Mindfulness, and Mental Health

Abstract

Implicit bias, the stereotypical perception toward someone or something, negatively affects the mental wellbeing of marginalized groups which they struggle to get help for because of institutional discrimination and bias. Mindfulness, the process of being non-judgmentally aware of the present moment, is helpful for mental health by reducing rumination and anxiety and increasing self-esteem. Intervention studies also found that mindfulness can reduce racism, prejudice, and discrimination as it increases awareness of personal biases. Yet, there are few studies on how mindfulness affects implicit bias to reduce its mental effects, especially in college students and in wider demographic. Moreover, the multitude of techniques used in intervention studies make it difficult to see how mindfulness affects implicit bias. Therefore, purpose of this literature review is to determine how implicit bias affects the mental health of
marginalized college students (e.g., Latinx, women of color, LGBTQ+) and how mindfulness can be utilized to reduce implicit bias and its effects on mental health.

Keywords: Implicit Bias, Mindfulness, and Mental Health