An Acceptability & Feasibility Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a Single Session Internet-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention at Reducing Symptoms of Racial Trauma amongst Black Adults

Abstract

The majority of Black Americans experience some form of racially charged trauma throughout their lifetime which is more than any other racialized group (Department of Justice, 2014). The unrelenting persistence and large-scale systemic nature of anti-Black racism thus has consequences impacting the individual, the community, and the epigenome of Black Americans.Internalized racial oppression is a form of self-stigma wherein individuals assume negative beliefs and ideas of inferiority about their group. The goal of the current study was to develop a single-session intervention delivered in an asynchronous online format based on evidence-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to directly address internalized racial oppression, internalized shame, anxiety, and depression amongst Black adults. The target population was adults (18+) who identify as Black/ African American who have experienced a traumatic racial event and who denied suicidality. Participants who met inclusion criteria (n=42) completed baseline questions and then completed the 60-minute intervention session. One month later participants (n=21) were contacted to complete the follow-up portion of the survey. Results indicated that the single-session iACT-RT intervention did not meet pre-determined feasibility and acceptability conditions. However, further analysis revealed that there is promising evidence from the responses that the intervention was pertinent and useful to participants.