Black male college students' eudaimonic well-being : a qualitative single-case study exploring self-determination for mindfulness practices.
Studies on mindfulness and eudaimonic well-being's impact on Black male college student success are limited, with much of the current literature on this demographic primarily focusing on its challenges and deficits. Research supports mindfulness as beneficial for Black Americans, rendering it an appropriate approach for Black male college student success initiatives (Watson-Singleton et al., 2019). This research underscores the necessity for a shift towards asset-based approaches to better support the eudaimonic well-being of Black male college students. Alarmingly, studies indicate that without a significant decrease in attrition rates, Black male college students face extinction by the year 2070 (Cross & Slater, 2000). The urgency to address this deficit emphasizes the importance of exploring factors that contribute to the well-being and success of Black male college students. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of Black male college students' mindfulness and eudaimonic well-being to support their student success. The research design in this study, grounded in Deci and Ryan's (1980) Self-determination (SDT) theory and a transformative worldview, created a framework for the exploration of the ways mindfulness practices influence the eudaimonic well-being of Black male college students. The data revealed that the participants achieved their goals by self-regulating through the tenets of SDT. The participants' perceptions displayed a spectrum of positive interpretations of how they practice and view mindfulness as a reflection of their success. The findings show that Black male college students have favorable perceptions of self-determination through mindfulness practices and offered critical insights, informing the development of targeted interventions to support these students' academic and personal success. Additional insights expand the understanding of mindfulness among Black males and offer practical, replicable implications for stakeholders in higher education and wellness landscapes of practice. The findings emphasize the need for tailored interventions and support systems to uplift Black male college students in their academic journeys toward student success.
Black male college students., Eudaimonic well-being., Mindfulness., Self-determination theory., Transformative worldview.
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