Participation in Multicultural Awareness-Raising Community Actions: Positive Effects on Well-Being and Group Efficacy

Objective: This participatory research sought to understand how engagement in awareness-raising multicultural activities strengthens well-being and group efficacy among immigrants and host nationals. We also examined the mediating role of self-transcendent emotions and shared flow. Method: We tested our predictions across three studies, each focused on one awareness-raising activity organized by a nongovernmental organization, SOS Racismo-Mugak, working closely with the local community. This investigation was conducted in line with a community-based participatory research framework and thus with participation of community members in the procedure design, recruitment and data collection, as well as the dissemination of research findings. In Study 1, 204 participants responded to a survey before, during, and after participating in a multicultural lunch promoting interaction between immigrant and host national families. In Study 2, 106 participants were surveyed during an open-outdoors multicultural community meal. In Study 3, 93 participants completed an online survey after an antiracist protest. Results: Self-transcendent emotions and shared flow explained the relationship between the quality of participation and well-being (Studies 1 and 2) among immigrants and host nationals. The indirect effect of shared flow was stronger for immigrants (Study 1). The relationship between quality of participation and group efficacy was mediated by self-transcendent emotions (Study 2) and shared flow (Study 3) for both groups. Conclusions: Our results point out that participation in community awareness-raising activities has several positive outcomes, such as individual and collective empowerment, and elicits shared flow and self-transcendent emotions among immigrants and host nationals. Public Significance Statement This participatory research sought to understand how engagement in awareness-raising multicultural activities strengthens well-being and group efficacy among immigrants and host nationals. We tested our predictions across three studies, each focused on one awareness-raising activity organized by a nongovernmental organization, SOS Racismo-Mugak, working closely with the local community. Our results point out that participation in community awareness-raising activities has several positive outcomes, such as individual and collective empowerment (well-being and group efficacy), and elicits shared flow and self-transcendent emotions, which may ultimately foster community action.