How Do Cultural Factors Influence the Teaching and Practice of Mindfulness and Compassion in Latin Countries?

Javier García-Campayo,Marcelo Demarzo,William Van Gordon,Edo Shonin

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01161

Abstract

Network for Prevention and Health Promotion in primary Care (RD12/0005/0006) grant from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain), co-financed with European Union ERDF funds (FEDER “Una manera de hacer Europa”).

Highlights

The first structured 8-week program on mindfulness, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), was developed by Kabat-Zinn (1982) in a hospital linked to the University of Massachusetts
We briefly provide a preliminary conceptual framework for a culturally-syntonic approach to implementing mindfulness- and compassion-based (M and C) interventions in Latin societies
M and C approaches are currently being implemented in Latin countries and empirical findings attest to their effectiveness

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The first structured 8-week program on mindfulness, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), was developed by Kabat-Zinn (1982) in a hospital linked to the University of Massachusetts. Mindfulness programs are taught in more than 50 countries worldwide (Kabat-Zinn et al, 2016), including Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Europe and the Americas (encompassed by the term “Latin” in this paper) Such Latin countries share obvious cultural influences and similarities—and during the implementation of mindfulness in these countries—Latin clinicians and researchers have observed that compared to non-Latin countries, there exist differences in how their patients learn and practice mindfulness (Demarzo et al, 2015). In light of the above health-relevant cultural factors, the following recommendations – based on the academic literature (e.g., García-Campayo and Alda, 2005; Garcia-Campayo and Demarzo, 2014; Demarzo et al, 2015), consultation with Latin clinicians and M and C participants, as well as the authors’ own teaching experiences—are offered to assist both clinicians and researchers using M and C approaches in Latin populations: 1. Reducing or eliminating the full-day retreat component may be beneficial

Encourage mindfulness of the body

Emphasize interpersonal mindfulness

CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH