Mindful Parenting Research Articles

Mindful Parenting, Maternal Child Feeding Style and Prescholer’s Body Mass Index

ObjectivesTo compare the dimensions and total score of Mindful Parenting (MP) according to the Maternal Child-Feeding Style (MCFS), 2) To identify the MCFS with the highest BMI average score and to verify if there are significant differences. MethodsThis study was of the descriptive and correlational type. The sample was determined for a multiple linear regression model with eight variables, significance of 0.5, test power of 90%, and effect size of .07. Participated, 334 dyads (mothers and her preschool child). The child attended 10 publish kindergartens in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, México. Mothers answered the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale and the Caregiver’s Feeding Styles Questionnaire. The preschooler’s weight and height were measured. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. ResultsThe MP dimension with the highest average was Emotional Awareness of the Self and the Child (Mean = 71.14, SD = 14.90), the average of the total score of MP was 69.48 (SD = 10.60). The indulgent MCFS was the most frequent 33.7% (n = 116). The authoritative MCFS presented the highest score of MP (H = 27.068, P = .001). The indulgent MCFS presented the highest average range of child’s BMI (121.70) when compared against the authoritarian MCFS (102.62), a significant difference was identified (U = 5197.00, P < .05). ConclusionsThe authoritative MCFS had highest score of MP. Moreover the authoritative MCFS had been related to health child’s BMI. It is recommended to design interventions to promote MP and authoritative MCFS. Funding Sources…

“Nurturing parents”–Mindfulness-based parent well-being group in pediatric cystic fibrosis.

Objectives: Parents of a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. We examine the feasibility and acceptability of nurturing parents (NP) mindfulness-based parent well-being group in CF using a mixed methods design. NP is an 8 week group designed to help parents cultivate (a) resilience to stress, (b) kindness toward themselves, and (c) awareness of self when communicating. Method: Mothers (N = 12) rated individual and group goals and completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, interpersonal mindfulness in parenting, anxiety, depression, and parenting stress, pre-NP and post-NP. Qualitative data from semistructured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants who completed the NP group (n = 9; 75%) reported improvements post-NP in dispositional and interpersonal mindfulness and in at least one group goal. Clinically significant improvements were found for mothers reporting pre-NP anxiety (n = 2) or depression (n = 2) in the clinical range. Qualitative themes included: (a) gaining self-awareness and choice, (b) connection to others not defined by CF, and (c) validating self-care. Conclusions: Mothers reported psychological benefits of NP group and preferences that may promote retention. Findings may inform clinical practice. A future pilot trial of efficacy in CF may be feasible.

Mindfulness and Stress Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in China.

Parenting a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be tremendously challenging. It is important to identify factors associated with parenting stress. This study examined the indirect effect of parental dispositional mindfulness on their anxiety and depressive symptoms and family quality of life (FQOL) through mindful parenting and then parenting stress. Seventy-nine Chinese parents (24.1% fathers) of children with ASD aged 3-13years completed self-report questionnaires. Results indicated that higher dispositional mindfulness was associated with higher mindful parenting, which was related to lower parenting stress, and further related to lower anxiety and depressive symptoms and higher FQOL. The findings provide valuable insight into the potential pathways through which general mindfulness and mindful parenting may positively impact parental outcomes.

A randomised controlled trial (MindChamp) of a mindfulness-based intervention for children with ADHD and their parents.

BackgroundFamily mindfulness‐based intervention (MBI) for child attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) targets child self‐control, parenting and parental mental health, but its effectiveness is still unclear.MethodsMindChamp is a pre‐registered randomised controlled trial comparing an 8‐week family MBI (called ‘MYmind’) in addition to care‐as‐usual (CAU) (n = 55) with CAU‐only (n = 48). Children aged 8–16 years with remaining ADHD symptoms after CAU were enrolled together with a parent. Primary outcome was post‐treatment parent‐rated child self‐control deficits (BRIEF); post hoc, Reliable Change Indexes were explored. Secondary child outcomes included ADHD symptoms (parent/teacher‐rated Conners’ and SWAN; teacher‐rated BRIEF), other psychological symptoms (parent/teacher‐rated), well‐being (parent‐rated) and mindfulness (self‐rated). Secondary parent outcomes included self‐ratings of ADHD symptoms, other psychological symptoms, well‐being, self‐compassion and mindful parenting. Assessments were conducted at post‐treatment, 2‐ and 6‐month follow‐up.ResultsRelative to CAU‐only, MBI+CAU resulted in a small, statistically non‐significant post‐treatment improvement on the BRIEF (intention‐to‐treat: d = 0.27, p = .18; per protocol: d = 0.33, p = .11). Significantly more children showed reliable post‐treatment improvement following MBI+CAU versus CAU‐only (32% versus 11%, p < .05, Number‐Needed‐to‐Treat = 4.7). ADHD symptoms significantly reduced post‐treatment according to parent (Conners’ and SWAN) and teacher ratings (BRIEF) per protocol. Only parent‐rated hyperactivity impulsivity (SWAN) remained significantly reduced at 6‐month follow‐up. Post‐treatment group differences on other secondary child outcomes were consistently favour of MBI+CAU, but mostly non‐significant; no significant differences were found at follow‐ups. Regarding parent outcomes, significant post‐treatment improvements were found for their own ADHD symptoms, well‐being and mindful parenting. At follow‐ups, some significant effects remained (ADHD symptoms, mindful parenting), some additional significant effects appeared (other psychological symptoms, self‐compassion) and others disappeared/remained non‐significant.ConclusionsFamily MBI+CAU did not outperform CAU‐only in reducing child self‐control deficits on a group level but more children reliably improved. Effects on parents were larger and more durable. When CAU for ADHD is insufficient, family MBI could be a valuable addition.

Who's Influencing Who? Adolescent Symptomatology and Caregiver Mindful Parenting.

Mindful parenting is linked to positive youth emotion regulation, mental health, and parent-child relationship quality. We examined bidirectional relations between adolescent mental health and mindful parenting among a diverse sample of 249 7th grade students and their female (N = 232) and male caregivers (N = 120). We conducted multiple-group cross-lagged models (grouped by adolescent sex). Female adolescents' externalizing symptoms predicted decreased female caregiver mindful parenting six months later, but male and female adolescent externalizing behaviors were negatively associated with male caregivers' mindful parenting one year later. Findings suggest mindful parenting capacities are vulnerable to disruption via adolescent problem behavior. Mindful parenting's potential benefits, caveats, and need to support parent efforts to sustain mindful parenting amidst adolescents' externalizing behaviors are discussed.

Parents’ Dispositional Mindfulness, Child Conflict Discussion, and Childhood Internalizing Difficulties: A Preliminary Study

Parental mindfulness predicts more positive and supportive parent-child interactions. However, very few studies have tested this association using independent observations of interactions or considered a link with child outcomes. The aims of the current study were to understand (1) how parental mindfulness relates to independent observation of parent-child conflict resolution discussions and (2) how parental mindfulness and conflict resolution relate to children’s symptoms of anxiety and depression. Fifty-seven parents and their 8–12-year-old children were recruited from both clinical and community settings. Dyads engaged in a conflict discussion task from which content and resolution quality were coded. Parents self-reported on their dispositional mindfulness, and children self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. Parents who rated themselves as higher in the acting with awareness facet of dispositional mindfulness were more likely to refer to their child’s positive emotions, make more positive (e.g. “you were great”) and less negative (e.g., “it was awful”) evaluations, and made fewer oppositional statements when resolving conflict. Parents who rated themselves as higher in the non-judging facet of mindfulness used more validation during conflict discussions. Mediation bootstrapping models showed support for an indirect path of acting with awareness and observing mindfulness relating to children’s symptoms of anxiety and depression, through positive evaluations. There was also support for an indirect path of observing and describing mindfulness relating to internalizing symptoms through reduced use of oppositional strategies. Parent dispositional mindfulness was associated with more positive and supportive conflict resolution discussions. The current findings also provide preliminary support for conflict resolution mediating a relationship between parent dispositional mindfulness and child symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The Association Between Mindful Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: The Role of Mother-Child Communication.

This study aimed to explore the mediation process from maternal mindful parenting to adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems through mother-child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. A total of 496 mother-adolescent dyads participated in the current study. Mother-reported mindful parenting and mother-child communication and adolescent-reported self-disclosure and behavior problems were collected. Path analysis results showed that mothers' mindful parenting was indirectly associated with adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors through mother-child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. In addition, the specific components of mindful parenting were examined in detail. The component of interacting with full attention showed unique patterns, while components of compassion and acceptance and emotion awareness of children showed similar pattern with the total score. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the mechanism underlying how mindful parenting benefit adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and have implications for clinical interventions.

Postpartum during COVID-19 pandemic: Portuguese mothers' mental health, mindful parenting, and mother-infant bonding.

BackgroundMillions of people worldwide have been diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), which has impacted maternal mental health and mother–infant relationships during the postpartum period.ObjectivesTo explore how mothers' anxious and depressive symptoms, parenting stress, mindful parenting, and mother–infant bonding vary as a function of the moment of the baby's birth (pre‐COVID‐19 or post‐COVID‐19) and to examine the contribution of those variables to mother–infant bonding.MethodsThe sample was recruited online and comprises 567 mothers (18–46 years) with an infant aged between 0 and 12 months old.ResultsApproximately 27.5% of the mothers presented clinically significant levels of anxious and depressive symptoms. Mothers who gave birth during the COVID‐19 pandemic presented lower levels of Emotional Awareness of the Child and a more impaired mother–infant bonding than mothers who gave birth before the pandemic started. Approximately 49% of the mother–infant bonding variance was explained by parenting stress and by several dimensions of mindful parenting.ConclusionOur findings provide important insights into the impact of COVID‐19 on maternal mental health and parenting.

Risk behaviours in adolescence: predictive role of mindful parenting

ABSTRACT This research aimed to explore the role of parental characteristics and mindful parenting in risk behaviour of adolescents. A total of 604 participants took part in the study, out of which N = 361 were adolescents aged 13 to 18, N = 158 were their mothers, and N = 85 fathers. To achieve the aim of the research, the following questionnaires were used: The General Data Questionnaire for Adolescents and Parents, The Adolescent Risk Behaviour Questionnaire, The Family Satisfaction Scale, and The Mindful Parenting Questionnaire. The results indicated that male adolescents report more often on violent behaviour, while girls report symptoms of eating disorders and they are less satisfied with their life. Related to age, older adolescents report lower life and family satisfaction and more often normative undesirable behaviour. The family satisfaction of adolescents, as well as mindful parenting, are negatively associated with risk behaviour, while the focus of attention on the child, self-efficacy, and empathy is positively related to the satisfaction of adolescents. The results support existing knowledge in this field and have strong practical implications for prevention and treatment interventions targeting family context.

Associations from Parental Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation to Child Emotion Regulation Through Parenting: the Moderating Role of Coparenting in Chinese families

The roles of parental mindfulness and coparenting relationships in Eastern cultures have been relatively understudied. This study aimed to investigate the associations of parental mindfulness, emotion regulation, parenting quality, and coparenting quality with children’s emotion regulation and negativity in Chinese families. Data for a subsample of 2156 parents were drawn from a study with 2237 Chinese parents of school-age children aged 6 to 12 years. Parents completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale, the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale, the Brief Coparenting Relationship Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. Fewer parental emotional regulation difficulties and higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were linked to better parenting quality, which was, in turn, associated with better emotion regulation and lower negativity among children. The association between parenting quality and child negativity was stronger when coparenting quality was higher. This study highlights the roles of parental mindfulness and emotion regulation skills in children’s emotional development in Chinese culture through their associations with parenting practices.

Changes in Parenting Practices during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Child Behavior and Mindful Parenting as Moderators

Measures implemented globally to minimize spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) resulted in significant changes for families. Since children’s developmental processes occur within an environmental context, examining how parenting practices and child behavior may have changed during COVID-19 is important to supporting children and families. The purpose of the current study was to examine levels of parenting behaviors for parents of kindergarten children prior to and following the onset of the global pandemic. In a sample of parents (n = 100; 89% female) we examined how child symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depressive, and oppositional symptoms), and mindful parenting related to changes in parenting behaviors. The results demonstrated that changes in parents’ levels of setting limits and supporting good behavior with their children from fall to spring depended on levels of children’s oppositional symptoms, children’s anxiety symptoms, and mindful parenting. Implications of these findings are discussed. Impact Statement The international coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is causing unprecedented changes in the lives of many children and families. The current study contributes to the literature by examining moderators of changes in parenting practices for parents of kindergarten children prior to and following the onset of the global pandemic. Results highlight ways to support children and families and directions for future research.

Applying the Mindful Parenting Program Among Chinese Parents of Children with ADHD: A Randomized Control Trial

The present study is aimed at investigating the effects and mechanisms of the Mindful Parenting Program (MPP) on the stress of Chinese parents of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A total of 113 Chinese parents of children with ADHD were randomly assigned to the MPP group (n = 58) or the treatment as usual (TAU) waitlist-control group (n = 55). The following parameters were assessed at baseline and posttreatment: parental stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, as well as general mindfulness, mindful parenting, and self-compassion. Each child’s ADHD symptoms and behavioral/emotional symptoms were also measured. The MPP group showed significantly greater amelioration of parental stress (F = 8.79, p = .004, effect size d =0.44) compared with that of the TAU waitlist-control group after eight weeks. The MPP group also showed greater improvements in parental general mindfulness (F = 11.40, p < .001, effect size d = 0.56) and self-compassion (F = 17.83, p < .001, effect size d = 0.62), but not mindful parenting (F = 2.32, p = 0.131), compared to those of the TAU group. Improvements in general mindfulness and parental self-compassion mediated the effect of the Mindful Parenting Program on parental stress at posttreatment, with effect sizes of 0.46 and 0.46, respectively. For the MPP completers, improvements in general parental mindfulness, parental self-compassion, and mindful parenting correlated with improvements in their children’s ADHD symptoms and behavioral symptoms. Correlation between the total practice times and outcome improvements was nonsignificant. Our findings suggest that the Mindful Parenting Program may be effective for ameliorating parental stress among Chinese parents of children with ADHD. Clinical Trial Registration: https:// www.chictr.org.cn ; ChiCTR1800019215

Application of Learned Optimism and Mindful Parenting for Caregivers of Putra Utama 03 Ceger Orphanage

There used to be a gap between ideal and actual condition in the pattern of parenting at Panti Sosial Asuhan Anak (PSAA) Putra Utama 03 Ceger, an orphanage. The gap was caused by some factors namely the environment facilities, high levels of problematic behavior among adolescents, the system, insufficient number of caregivers, and cultural factors of parenting that have been going on for a long time in the orphanage. The gap could lead to learned helplessness of the caregivers in parenting pattern on children at the orphanage. A team was formed to create an intervention through community service activity to overcome the problem, by applying learned optimism and mindful parenting for the caregivers at the orphanage. This intervention program was aimed to increase the caregiver’s knowledge and motivation through training of learned optimism and mindful parenting. Therefore, the caregivers can be more optimistic and wholehearted in carrying out their role as caregivers. The approach used in this intervention is based on the Bioecological Model Theory from Bronfenbrenner, the Experiential Learning from Bandura, and the Change Theory by Lewin. The steps taken in this intervention program were a preliminary study using a problem tree, Fishbone Analysis, and SWOT analysis. After a preliminary study, the team prepared an intervention design consisting of preparation, training, monitoring, and evaluation of the intervention. The expected targets of this intervention program were an increasing knowledge in learned optimism training and caregivers’ motivation in applying the training materials. These indicators have been achieved well through the activities provided.&#x0D; Keywords: learned helplessness; learned optimism; mindful parenting; orphanage

Effect of Mindful Parenting Training for Parents with Children Having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder on Parenting Stress

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder affecting both children and their parents. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of mindful parenting training for parents with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder on parenting stress. Quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design has been implemented. A purposive sample has been used to select 100 parents (mothers or fathers) of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This study has been carried out at the psychiatric outpatient clinic of Menoufia University Hospital at Shebin El-kom District, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Three tools were used to gather the data; A structured interviewing questionnaire to assess socio-demographic characteristics of the parents and children characteristics, Parenting Stress Index – Short Form, and Interpersonal mindfulness in parenting scale. The results revealed that there was a highly statistically significant reduction in the total mean score of parenting stress among the study group after the intervention compared to the control group where p value (p = 0.001), and there was a statistical significant improvement in the level of mindfulness in parenting of the study group after the intervention compared to the control group. It was concluded that the mindful parenting training had statistically significant positive effect on reducing parenting stress and improving level of mindfulness of parents with children having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Recommendation: mindful parenting training should be incorporated into current treatment guidelines as a psychosocial option for families with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale.

Parenting practices have been linked to a wide range of issues related to children's psychological adjustment; however, more research is warranted to further understand not only cultural variations of parenting norms, but also how such variations might differentially influence child outcomes. The current study examined the psychometric properties of a Chinese translation of the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS) in order to: (a) assess both positive and negative dimensions of parenting in Chinese-speaking societies and (b) to explore the association between these practices and children's psychopathological symptoms. A total of 2,237 parents with children between 6 and 12 years old completed the MAPS, Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale (IM-P), adapted Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and other measures related to children's psychosocial functioning. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) revealed a clear six-factor structure. Strong to strict measurement invariance for child gender, parent gender, and child age were found. The results demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. MAPS subscales also showed concurrent and convergent validity with mindful parenting, parent-child bonding, and children's psychopathology outcomes. The Chinese version of the MAPS will help facilitate multidimensional parenting research in Chinese-speaking societies and promote future cross-cultural studies examining the effect of positive and negative parenting on children's psychopathological adjustment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale in Mothers of Children and Infants: Factor Structure and Associations With Child Internalizing Problems.

Objectives: Mindful parenting, measured by the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IMP), is beneficial for parents and children. However, the IMP has not been validated in English-speaking parents. Further, little is known about whether mindful parenting is similar in parents of children vs. infants, or how it reduces child internalizing problems. We sought to validate the IMP in English-speaking mothers of children and infants, and to examine relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems and parent variables related to internalizing.Methods: Using confirmatory factor analyses, we examined the fit of various models of mindful parenting in English-speaking community-recruited mothers of children aged 3–18 years (n = 396) and infants aged 0–2 years (n = 320). We used regression analyses to investigate relationships between the facets of mindful parenting, child internalizing problems, and parent variables including parental experiential avoidance, unhelpful beliefs about child anxiety and accommodation of child anxiety.Results: Mindful parenting can be measured in English-speaking mothers, using either a 5- or 6-factor, 29-item version of the IMP. These versions of the IMP operate similarly for mothers of children and infants. Child internalizing problems and related parent variables were best predicted by non-judgmental acceptance of parenting in mothers of children, and emotional self-awareness and non-reactivity in mothers of infants.Conclusions: The IMP is a valid measure of mindful parenting in English-speaking mothers of children and infants. Mindful parenting predicts child internalizing problems and related parent variables, suggesting that mindful parenting programs could benefit families of children with internalizing problems, potentially by reducing parental experiential avoidance, unhelpful beliefs about or accommodation of child anxiety.

The Distinguishing Characteristics of Parents Seeking a Mindful Parenting Intervention in Child Mental Health Care

As a clinical intervention, Mindful Parenting has positive effects on parental stress and psychopathology, as well as child psychopathology. However, previous studies have not considered what characterizes parents and families who receive this type of intervention. The current study utilized a quasi-experimental design to determine the characteristics that distinguish parents seeking or referred to a mindful parenting intervention in community child mental health care centers. Two groups of parents were recruited to the study: treatment-seeking parents (n = 89), and a comparison group of parents from a community population (n = 66). All parents completed measures relating to their child’s psychopathology, their own psychopathology, general mindful awareness, and parenting measures of stress, over-reactivity, experiential avoidance and mindful parenting. A cross-sectional comparison confirmed that the treatment-seeking parents reported significantly higher psychopathology in their child (d = 0.91–1.19) and in themselves (d = 0.99–1.21), lower general mindful awareness, and higher parenting stress, over-reactivity, parental experiential avoidance and lower mindful parenting than the community parents. Across all outcomes, group differences in mindful parenting indicated the largest effect (d = 1.77), followed by parenting stress (d = 1.42), general mindfulness (d = 1.34), parental over-reactivity (d = 1.32), and parental experiential avoidance (d = 1.21). Hierarchical binary logistic regression analyses indicated that, next to higher child internalizing problems, lower mindful parenting distinguished treatment-seeking parents from community parents. Those parents seeking or referred to a mindful parenting intervention may benefit most from improvements in the very construct that the intervention targets: cultivating mindful parenting.

Effectiveness of mindful parenting training on mental health and parenting competence on mothers of children with special needs

Effectiveness of mindful parenting training on mental health and parenting competence on mothers of children with special needs

Mindful Parenting pada Orangtua dengan Anak Gangguan Pemusatan Perhatian dan Hiperaktivitas (GPPH): Tinjauan Sistematis

High parenting stress often occurs in parents of children with special needs such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Whereas the involvement of parents in the life of children with ADHD is much more important. Thus the stress should rightly be prevented, by applying mindful parenting. The aim of this research is to give a clear explanation in the form of systematic review about mindful parenting as a protective factor in handling parenting stress on parents of children with ADHD. It aims eventually to optimize the role of parents and family support for children’s education. It surveys six studies in English and Indonesian published in the last 10 years, peer reviewed under the same theme. The databases used are from ScienceDirect, Springer Link, Frontier Psychology, ProQuest, PsycARTICLES, and Google Scholar. The research concludes that mindful parenting is effective at reducing parenting stress and improving the quality of parent-child relationships in the case of ADHD children. It also emphasizes that it is important for parents to maintain relationships with children and optimize their role in educating or fulfilling children’s needs for proper education.

Mindful parenting is positively associated with adolescents’ life satisfaction: The mediating role of adolescents’ coping self-efficacy

Studies have demonstrated that life satisfaction has a large impact on adolescents’ development. However, adolescence is a period with extensive challenges and stressors that may threaten adolescents’ life satisfaction if they cope with them ineffectively. The current study investigated the effect of mindful parenting on adolescents’ life satisfaction and the mediating role of adolescents’ coping self-efficacy. The participants included 479 parent-adolescent dyads. Data on both parents’ self-reported mindful parenting and adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ mindful parenting were collected and combined to estimate levels of mindful parenting. The results indicated that mindful parenting is positively associated with adolescents’ life satisfaction and that adolescents’ coping self-efficacy mediates this relationship. Specifically, higher levels of mindful parenting are linked with higher levels of adolescents’ coping self-efficacy, which is in turn positively associated with adolescents’ life satisfaction. These findings shed light on the importance of mindful parenting for adolescents’ healthy development. The theoretical and practical implications of the current study results as well as future research directions are discussed.