V. Loving Kindness, Compassion, JH, Intersectional Awareness and Resilience
I developed a loving kindness scale to examine whether loving kindness as an individual difference measure is positively relate to intersectional awareness, perspective taking, John Henryism and negatively relates to depression. To extend loving kindness to others who are not related to us or who are not like us is the most difficult thing to practice. I argue that developing awareness of our own privilege is a critical step to realizing the intersectional and interdependent nature of our lives which according to Buddhist teachings promotes self compassion and compassion towards others. Loving kindness measure will help us to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness in reducing stress and anxiety in intergroup interactions. In my current research I am planning to conduct a study with Asian immigrants.
Mindful Parenting and Resilience
In addition to my research on loving kindness, as part of my ongoing collaboration with Suniya Luthar at Teachers College, Columbia University, we are examining whether adolescents’ perceptions of their parents to be mindful is source of resilience in helping with emotional regulation, self acceptance, and psychological well-being.