Predictors of Openness to Diversity among University Students: The Roles of Empathy and Mindfulness

Unaccepting attitudes toward diversity remain increasingly present. As such, investigating mechanisms that promote openness to diversity, which could subsequently reduce disparities and discrimination, is imperative, particularly within the academic framework. We explored the predictive roles of empathy and mindfulness, along with the interaction of empathy and mindfulness, to predict openness to diversity. Participants (N = 125) met inclusion criteria and completed an online survey that measured openness to diversity, empathy, mindfulness, depression, anxiety, stress, and racial/ethnic microaggressions. Although we found that facets of mindfulness were correlated with openness to diversity, mindfulness did not significantly predict openness to diversity. Conversely, higher levels of cognitive empathy predicted greater openness to diversity. Cognitive empathy also had a significant moderation effect on the relationship between mindfulness and openness to diversity. These results suggest that empathy and mindfulness are antecedents to the promotion of openness to diversity and potential targets for interventions designed to reduce instances of racism and discrimination specifically within educational settings.