Experiences of a Community-Based Mindfulness Program Among Bedouin-Arab Participants: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis

Technical Summary: Experiences of a Community-Based Mindfulness Program Among Bedouin-Arab Participants

Problem Statement
While Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have demonstrated efficacy across diverse populations in Western contexts, there is a significant gap in understanding how mindfulness is experienced, interpreted, and integrated within Arab and Muslim communities. Existing literature indicates that mindfulness programs are predominantly developed and tested on Western, educated, and White populations, raising questions regarding their cultural generalizability. Specifically, within the Bedouin-Arab community in Israel—a population undergoing rapid socio-economic transformation while maintaining strong traditional, religious, and communal frameworks—little is known about how participants navigate the intersection of secular mindfulness practices and their existing cultural and spiritual identities. The study addresses the lack of qualitative data regarding the lived experience of mindfulness in this specific minority context, moving beyond clinical outcome measures to explore the processes of learning, adaptation, and meaning-making.

Methodology
The study employed a qualitative design utilizing reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to examine the experiences of 20 Bedouin-Arab participants who completed a community-based mindfulness program in Rahat, southern Israel.

• Participants: The sample included 14 women and 6 men, aged 19 to 50 (M = 27.2), drawn from three cohorts of a 14-week program. Participants represented diverse educational backgrounds (ranging from vocational training to PhD candidates) and varying degrees of religious observance. Most had no prior formal experience with mindfulness.
• Intervention: The program consisted of 14 weekly sessions (approx. 3 hours each) and a one-day nature retreat. It combined theoretical instruction with experiential practices (breathing, body awareness, mindful movement, self-compassion) and group reflection. The curriculum was adapted to be culturally responsive, delivered by a facilitator with extensive experience in contemplative practice.
• Data Collection: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Arabic several weeks post-program. Interviews lasted 14–74 minutes and were transcribed verbatim.
• Data Analysis: The analysis followed a six-phase approach. Uniquely, the study utilized a hybrid coding strategy:
  1. First-Cycle Coding: AI-assisted (using Perplexity AI and ChatGPT) to generate 2,330 sentence-level descriptive codes from the 20 transcripts.
  2. Second-Cycle Coding: Researcher-led review and synthesis of AI-generated codes into candidate subthemes and overarching themes.
  3. Refinement: Iterative comparison of codes, subthemes, and original transcripts to ensure themes were grounded in participant accounts rather than algorithmic output.
  4. Final Framework: A hierarchical structure of 6 overarching themes and 41 subthemes was established based on 1,841 substantive coded segments.
• Trustworthiness: Strategies included iterative review, handling of deviant cases, researcher reflexivity regarding their role in theme construction, and the use of AI strictly as a preliminary tool with all interpretive decisions made by the human researchers.

Key Results
The analysis yielded a hierarchical thematic framework comprising six overarching themes:

1. Motivations and Initial Expectations: Participants joined for practical reasons (stress management, emotional regulation) and personal growth (curiosity, self-understanding). Expectations ranged from seeking specific coping tools to general exploration of wellbeing.
2. Learning Mindfulness Practices and Concepts: Learning was characterized as an experiential process rather than purely theoretical. Participants described a gradual acquisition of skills, particularly through breathing and body awareness. Challenges such as maintaining focus were reframed as part of the learning curve.
3. Psychological, Cognitive, and Behavioral Transformation: Participants reported increased self-awareness, emotional regulation, and intentionality. Key changes included the ability to "pause" before reacting, reduced impulsivity, and a shift from automatic reactivity to deliberate response. These changes extended to cognitive awareness and behavioral flexibility in daily life.
4. Interpersonal and Group Processes: The group setting was identified as a critical component. Participants valued the normalization of struggles through shared experiences, mutual support, and the development of better listening skills. The program influenced family dynamics and communication styles outside the course.
5. Cultural and Religious Negotiation of Mindfulness: A central finding was the process of integrating mindfulness into existing religious (Islamic) and cultural frameworks. While some initially questioned compatibility, most participants eventually interpreted mindfulness through familiar concepts such as prayer, reflection, and spiritual awareness. Mindfulness was viewed as supportive of, rather than contradictory to, their religious identity.
6. Program Evaluation and Future Engagement: The program was evaluated positively, with participants citing meaningful personal benefits and the value of the facilitator. Many expressed intentions to continue practicing and recommended the program to others, though some suggested extending the duration for deeper skill acquisition.

Significance and Claims
The paper claims that mindfulness can be experienced as both personally transformative and culturally adaptable within a Bedouin-Arab context. The study contributes to the literature by:

• Shifting Focus: Moving beyond quantitative efficacy to illuminate the lived experience of learning and practicing mindfulness in a culturally distinctive, minority community.
• Demonstrating Adaptability: Showing that participants actively interpret and integrate mindfulness practices into their existing social, cultural, and spiritual worlds, rather than adopting them as foreign concepts.
• Highlighting Mechanisms: Identifying that community-based formats emphasizing experiential learning, group reflection, and cultural contextualization are effective mechanisms for engagement in collectivist societies.
• Informing Practice: Suggesting that for mindfulness programs to be effective in diverse cultural settings, they must allow space for participants to connect practices with their own values and spiritual frameworks, and that culturally sensitive facilitation is crucial.

The authors maintain a modest stance, acknowledging limitations such as the small, self-selected sample (predominantly educated individuals), the retrospective nature of the data, and the lack of objective behavioral measures. They conclude that while the findings are specific to this subgroup, they offer valuable insights into how mindfulness-based programs can be implemented in culturally responsive ways.