Mindful Parenting Research Articles

An Alternative Way in the Parent-Child Relationship: Mindful Parenting

It is known that the relationship established between parent and child will have an impact on the mental health of both the individual and the society. Many information, ways and methods can be followed to ensure that the relationship in question is healthy. Mindfulness-based studies, which we frequently encounter today, find a place in the parent-child relationship. In this study, the aim is to discuss the concept of "mindful parenting", which has not been widely studied in the national literature yet. In this way, it would be beneficial to state that there can be an alternative way in parent-child relationship. By benefiting from the studies on this subject, the concept has been dealt with theoretically and practically and presented in a review. It is thought that the introduction of the concept will contribute to the studies on conscious-mindful parenting in our country. Within the scope of the study, respectively; the definition of the concept of mindful parenting, what it is based on, its sub-dimensions, the measurability and evaluation of mindful parenting, its reflections on parents and children are discussed. At the last stage of the study, suggestions for researchers and practitioners were given along with the studies in our country.

Prenatal negative affectivity and trauma-related distress predict mindful parenting during toddler age: Examining parent-infant bonding as a mechanism.

Despite findings demonstrating the importance of parental present-centered awareness, factors undermining mindful parenting have received less attention. Increasingly, evidence points to parental psychopathology as a salient risk factor for parenting difficulties. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate specific dimensions of parental trauma-related distress and general negative affectivity during pregnancy as predictors of mindful parenting during toddler age. Parental psychopathology, parent-infant bonding, and mindful parenting were assessed in a sample of heterosexual couples (N = 159) across four waves of data collection spanning pregnancy to child age two. Data were analyzed using path analysis within a dyadic framework. Results demonstrated the unique impact of maternal trauma-related distress during pregnancy (e.g., intrusions and avoidance) on facets of mindful parenting more than two years later. Further, among both mothers and fathers, general negative affectivity common across internalizing disorders undermined mindful parenting through impaired parent-infant bonding. Findings highlight the need for early intervention efforts that incorporate mindfulness strategies to reduce subthreshold symptoms of prenatal psychopathology, promote healthy bonding, and improve parental awareness and self-regulation, thereby enhancing the overall parent-child relationship.

Family Mindfulness Training for Childhood ADHD: Short- and Long-Term Effects on Children, Fathers and Mothers

ObjectivesWe evaluated the effects of the family mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) “MYmind” for children with ADHD and their parents, and examined child and parent predictors of child outcome.MethodsUsing a pragmatic quasi-experimental waitlist design, children aged 7–19 years (n = 167), clinically referred with a DSM-IV ADHD diagnosis, and both their parents completed waitlist (average waiting time was 8 weeks), pre-test, post-test, 8-week, and 1-year follow-up measurements. MYmind consisted of eight weekly 1.5-h mindfulness-based group sessions for children and parallel for parents, and a follow-up session. We assessed children’s and both parents’ ADHD symptoms and other psychopathology, child executive function, parental stress, parental overreactivity, and mindful parenting.ResultsMultilevel analyses revealed medium-to-large effect-sized reduced child ADHD symptoms between pre- and post-test, becoming stronger at follow-ups, while no waitlist effects occurred. Parents above the ADHD threshold improved on adult ADHD symptoms with similar sized effects. Children’s and parents’ other psychopathology, child executive function, parental overreactivity, and mindful parenting improved, whereas parental stress only improved at 1-year follow-up. Child age, child gender, ADHD medication, parental ADHD, and parent participation did not predict child outcome. Parent gender however interacted with parental ADHD to predict child outcome; children of fathers (but not mothers) above the ADHD threshold improved more than children of fathers below the ADHD threshold at post-test and at 8-week follow-up. Reduced paternal ADHD from pre- to post-test mediated this effect.ConclusionsFamily MBI (MYmind) may reduce childhood ADHD and improve parental functioning. Fathers with ADHD symptoms appear important in helping offspring with ADHD.

32.4 A SCOPING REVIEW OF MINDFUL PARENTING RESEARCH

Mindful parenting has been shown to promote healthy parent-child relationships through: 1) parents/caregivers’ increased sensitivity and responsiveness to their children’s needs despite contextual and parenting-related stress; and 2) the promotion of their own well-being. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the empirical evidence regarding mindful parenting research and practice over the past 15 years. A scoping review was conducted to identify all peer-reviewed publications reporting on mindful parenting studies. Criteria were established to determine study inclusion in the scoping review and studies were then coded by a team of trained coders. The results of the mindful parenting review (n = 134 studies) revealed that approximately 60% of studies implemented a mindfulness or mindful parenting intervention, with others measuring basic levels of parent dispositional mindfulness or mindful parenting in relation to other aspects of parenting and child/family outcomes. The literature on parental reflective functioning was also reviewed (n = 96 studies) to compare and contrast findings with the mindful parenting literature. Many of the results provide evidence of convergent associations and impacts on positive parenting behaviors for both mindful parenting and parental reflective functioning approaches. Across the parenting literature reviewed, however, most studies lack diversity in their sample characteristics because participants were predominantly White and the emphasis was on mothers. Many studies were lacking in detail regarding provider qualifications and training. Synergistic effects may be achieved by employing both mindful parenting and reflective parenting approaches together. Additional community-based participatory research is needed to: 1) refine professional training models for clinicians; and 2) identify appropriate intervention adaptations for different racial/ethnic and cultural groups and people who are fathering.

68.4 MINDFUL PARENTING AND CASE PRESENTATION

Young children with ADHD present unique challenges to caregivers, which can often lead to increased stress. Interventions to support caregiver well-being are gaining more attention as an important component in the treatment process. Mindful parenting involves intentionally having nonjudgmental awareness of the parents’ experience as well as greater awareness and acceptance of the child’s unique nature, feelings, and needs. This intervention aims to reduce parents’ reactivity and increase their ability to respond with more presence and wisdom. In turn, this can decrease caregiver burnout and help parents be more effective in managing their child’s ADHD symptoms. This presentation is designed to provide clinicians with current knowledge of mindful parenting in the context of caregiver stress and young children with ADHD. Presenters will review current empirical evidence on mindful parenting interventions and their impact on caregiver stress. Evidence will be reviewed in the context of stress as a factor impacting treatment of young children with ADHD. Case examples will be used to enhance learning. Participants will learn the definition of mindful parenting and gain an understanding of how mindful parenting can potentially decrease caregiver stress, which can be a factor in overall treatment outcomes for young children with ADHD. Given the nature of ADHD symptoms (eg, hyperactivity, impulsivity, challenges with emotion regulation), caregivers’ stress can be increased. There is emerging empirical evidence supporting mindful parenting as an important intervention to improve caregiver well-being in the treatment of young children with ADHD. Enhancing clinicians’ understanding of the impact of mindful parenting practices when treating young children with ADHD can have important implications for treatment outcomes.

51.4 ONLINE MINDFUL PARENTING AND CASE EXAMPLE

Mindful parenting (MP) can be defined as the process of intentional, kind, moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience, including parenting. MP can increase the parents’ capacity for parenting calmly with more consistency, and in accordance with their goals and values, while fostering a warm and nurturing parent-child relationship that can result in less parenting stress, more effective parenting strategies, and increased well-being in their children. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a rise in parent and child stress has led to increased risk for, and prevalence of, parent and child psychopathology. Telehealth offers a unique and effective way to reach families in need and to deliver parenting interventions to reduce parenting stress and improve parent-child functioning. Telehealth MP interventions remain effective in decreasing parenting stress and improving the parent and child’s well-being. This presentation will provide an overview of core MP skills and the evidence for MP interventions delivered via telehealth. Modifications for telehealth with its benefits and challenges will be discussed.

CLINICAL PERSPECTIVES: OUTPATIENT MANAGEMENT OF IMPULSIVITY, HYPERACTIVITY, AND AGGRESSION IN YOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 2-7)

Young children often have limited coping abilities and tolerance for change, especially when faced with life stressors. Maladaptive behaviors resulting in impulsivity, hyperactivity, and aggression can impair daily functioning, cause caregiver stress, and occasionally necessitate emergency mental health interventions. This presentation is designed to enhance clinicians’ skills in the evaluation and management of young children presenting with disruptive behaviors, with whom ADHD is a possibility. Presenters will use a combination of reviewing current research literature and clinical best practices. In addition, some of the presenters have active research studies that examine elements of the topics outlined and will include relevant materials and new research when available. When applicable, AACAP Practice Parameters and Policy Statements will be reviewed and distributed to members who attend the session. The agenda is as follows: 1) assessment of young children with disruptive behaviors (Diane Misch, MD, Infant and Preschool Committee); 2) treatment guidelines for pharmacological management of disruptive behaviors and ADHD (Magdalena Romanowicz, MD, Infant and Preschool Committee); 3) long-term outcomes of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy on ADHD symptoms, including new research findings (Regina Bussing, MD, MSHS); 4) how mindful parenting can support caregivers in managing young children with ADHD, and a case presentation (Elizabeth Reichert, PhD, and Mari Kurahashi, MD, MPH); and 5) summary and discussion (Matthew Young, PhD). Participants will learn to identify childhood disorders presenting as disruptive behaviors and enhance their assessment and treatment planning skills. They will gain an appreciation for treatment strategies and acquire knowledge of de-escalation techniques and mindful parenting. Temper tantrums, hyperactivity, and impulsive aggression are common in the young child population with presumed ADHD. Early intervention can positively impact a child’s developmental trajectory. Clinicians working with preschoolers need to understand current evidence-based practice to ensure that their clinical needs are adequately met.

ICARE, SPACE, I-PCIT, AND ONLINE MINDFUL PARENTING: IMPROVING ACCESS BY INTERNET-DELIVERED THERAPIES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Objectives: Telepsychiatry has become increasingly common over the past 2 decades, with numerous benefits that include increasing accessibility by overcoming geographical and transportation barriers, increasing efficiency, reducing cost, and diminishing stigma linked to mental health clinics. This past year, the wider dissemination of telehealth services has been expedited due to the current COVID-19 public health crisis and stay-at-home orders that have resulted in decreased restrictions and historic expansion of telehealth insurance coverage. This Clinical Perspectives will discuss internet-delivered parent-based young child interventions (ages 0-5 years), such as internet-based Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement (iCARE), Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), Internet-Delivered Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (I-PCIT), and Mindful Parenting, and their empirical evidence, underlying theories, and clinical and supportive applications. Methods: This presentation will consist of a discussion of 4 interventions adapted to be delivered virtually: 1) I-PCIT will use case examples to illustrate various challenges and necessary adaptations for internet therapies for young children;2) iCARE;3) a parent-based treatment program called SPACE that was developed for children with anxiety and OCD;and 4) internet-delivered mindful parenting with challenges and adaptations for digital delivery with case examples. At the conclusion of our presentation, we will invite the participants to bring their own practical challenges regarding online treatments of young children and their families. Results: Participants will learn about different innovative internet-delivered therapies for young children and their families. They will develop strategies on “website manners,” treatment tools and strategies on engaging children and their families via the internet. They will learn about treatment options for a variety of internalizing and externalizing disorders in young children that can be delivered effectively online. Conclusions: Video engagement of young children and their families presents unique challenges. Evidence-based interventions have been successfully adapted for online delivery. This session will allow participants to discuss and explore ideas and gain tools for optimizing internet-delivered therapies for young children. P, EC, TVM

Psychological needs in parents and clinically referred adolescents: An integrative model via parenting and parental mindfulness.

Framed on Self-Determination Theory, this study sought to examine the interplay between parents' and adolescents' need satisfaction and need frustration, as well as to investigate the potential mediating role of autonomy-supportive and psychologically controlling parenting. Whether parents' dispositional mindfulness moderated the relation between parental need frustration and parenting was also investigated. Participants were 213 clinically referred adolescents between 12 and 17 years (Mage = 14.36; 55.9% girls) and 225 parents (85.3% mothers). Findings from structural equation models revealed a bright and a dark pathway linking parents' and adolescents' need-based experiences through parenting. Specifically, parental need satisfaction was positively related to autonomy-supportive parenting, which, in turn, contributed to greater adolescents' need satisfaction. In contrast, parents' need frustration yielded a positive association with psychologically controlling parenting, which, in turn, positively related to adolescents' need frustration. Latent moderation analyses also indicated that parents' mindfulness played a role as a moderator of the relationship between parental need frustration and psychological control; the association was attenuated when parents reported higher levels of mindfulness. Implications for the promotion of positive parenting among families of adolescents with mental health problems are outlined. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

MOVING UPSTREAM: PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF EXPOSURE TO ADVERSE EXPERIENCES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

National surveys indicate worsening mental health symptoms among parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by stressors including caregiving burden, social isolation, and lack of financial resources. Low-income families and families from Black and Brown communities, where the pandemic’s economic and health effects are most acute, may be particularly vulnerable to emotional distress impacting caregivers. Caregiver stress and mental health problems are modifiable risk factors highly correlated to early childhood social-emotional development and increase vulnerability to disrupted attachment and maladaptive parenting. This Symposium presents emerging findings from 4 empirically based preventative interventions. Presenters describe promising new research findings from 4 initiatives with high-risk families that: 1) identify at birth and provide resources to families at elevated risk for maltreatment in a prospective clinical study emphasizing tolerability, feasibility, and engagement, for which the final phase is a randomized controlled trial; 2) promote caregiver-infant bonding in a clinical sample of depressed mothers, using methods validated in Circle of Security; 3) initiate a proof-of-concept and feasibility study using video feedback in primary care to screen and educate caregivers around parent-child interactions; and 4) implement a parent mindfulness training program in preschools for reduction of stress and mental health symptoms in parents, using a mixed-methods open-label design. Across 4 projects demonstrating new clinical research data, presenters share examples of preventative interventions showing feasibility, engagement, and effectiveness, with noteworthy benefits for underserved families via delivery in a range of clinical and nonclinical settings. Despite stressors exacerbated by the pandemic, these novel projects demonstrate with new research findings that high-risk families with infants and young children can be engaged in a range of psychosocial supports toward prevention of maltreatment, improvement in bonding with Circle of Security, assessment and tailored video feedback around parent-child interactions delivered in primary care, and mindfulness to improve caregiver mental health.

Co-designed Mindful Parenting for Parents of Children with ADHD: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

This mixed-methods single arm pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a co-designed mindful parenting intervention for parents of children with ADHD, Parents that Mind (PTM). The 5-week parent-only intervention comprised two face-to-face group retreats and 5 weeks home practice. Eighteen parents of children with ADHD participated in PTM, completing self-report questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Indicating high acceptability, 100% of parents interviewed reported PTM was helpful and they would recommend PTM. High feasibility of parents attending one face-to-face retreat was observed, with all parents attending the first retreat, however intervention adherence was challenging, with 55% of parents attending the second retreat. Barriers to intervention adherence included: lack of time, work commitments, illness and exhaustion. Quantitative data indicate promising preliminary effects for parents and children. Addressing the barriers raised by parents in this pilot appear necessary, before examining efficacy in a blinded RCT.

Parents’ Depressive Symptoms and Child Adjustment: the Mediating Role of Mindful Parenting and Children’s Self-Regulation

Parental depression is linked to a myriad of child adjustment outcomes. To identify the potential processes between parents’ depressive symptoms and child adjustment in early childhood, this cross-sectional study investigated mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation as mediators. Participants were 320 Chinese families involving maritally intact mothers, fathers, and children (49.01% girls) from 34.73 to 55.66 months old (M = 46.32, SD = 3.77). Mothers and fathers completed self-report questionnaires assessing parental depressive symptoms, mindful parenting, children’s self-regulation, and adjustment outcomes. Children completed a task assessing their self-regulation. A structural equation model was conducted to examine the mediation model cross-sectionally. The structural equation model indicated that mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation mediated the association between parents’ depressive symptoms and children’s adjustment. Specifically, mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with their own, but not their spouses’, mindful parenting. Mindful parenting was then associated with children’s self-regulation, which was related to internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and prosocial behavior. Differential findings as a function of parents’ gender were also indicated. The present study revealed mindful parenting and children’s self-regulation as mediators between parental depressive symptoms and adjustment in early childhood. Both mothers’ and fathers’ depressive symptoms were associated with mindful parenting, which was crucial for children’s self-regulation, psychosocial adjustment, and behavioral adjustment. These findings inform practitioners about the relevance of parents’ depressive symptoms and mindful parenting to children’s adjustment in early childhood.

Is Parental Mindfulness Associated with Quality of Life and Itch Intensity in Children with Psoriasis and Eczema and Well-being in Parents?

ObjectivesChildhood psoriasis and eczema negatively impact the well-being of children and their parents. Identifying variables that protect against, or reduce, the negative impact of these skin conditions could greatly improve the lives of children with these skin conditions and their parents. We therefore aimed to investigate whether higher levels of parental dispositional mindfulness are associated with lower levels of psychological distress and better quality of life in children with psoriasis or eczema and their parents.MethodsChildren with psoriasis or eczema (n = 180, M age = 10.22, females = 108) and their parents (n = 210, M age = 39.97, females = 183) were recruited from social media and NHS dermatology clinics in the UK. Parents completed questionnaires assessing dispositional mindfulness, parental stress, psychological distress (depression, anxiety, general stress), and quality of life related to their child’s skin condition. Children completed questionnaires assessing quality of life related to their skin condition and pruritus (itch intensity).ResultsParental dispositional mindfulness explained significant amounts of variance in parental stress, parent depression, parent anxiety, parent general stress, and both parent and child quality of life. These relationships were not moderated by skin condition.ConclusionParental dispositional mindfulness is associated with better well-being in parents of children with psoriasis or eczema, and their children. Mindfulness-based interventions for parents may be beneficial for improving well-being in both children with skin conditions and their parents.Trial Registration: https://aspredicted.org/xf429.pdf (see Supplementary Materials A).

Mindful Parenting, Caregiver Distress, and Conduct Problems in Children With Autism.

Children with autism may display an externalizing problem behavior, which are associated with increased parenting stress and depression in caregivers. Mindful parenting is defined as having a non-judgmental moment-to-moment awareness during caregiver-child interactions. The extant literature is mixed, with some reporting that associations between child problem behavior and parenting stress and depression vary by level of mindful parenting, while others have not found these relations. We sought to extend these explorations. Participants who were caregivers of 75 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) ages 5-10, in the Pacific Northwestern region of the United States. Child conduct problems, parenting stress and caregiver depression, and mindful parenting were measured using caregiver-reported measures. Child conduct problems, parenting stress, and caregiver depression, and mindful parenting were all significantly correlated. The association between child conduct problems and parenting stress was significant for caregivers with high and low levels of mindful parenting. In contrast, the association between child conduct problems and caregiver depression was significant only for caregivers with low levels of mindful parenting. Our results suggest that mindful parenting may be a promising protective factor for the well-being of caregivers of children with autism. Implications are discussed.

The role of mothers' self-compassion on mother-infant bonding during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study exploring the mediating role of mindful parenting and parenting stress in the postpartum period.

The current COVID‐19 pandemic is a challenging time for postpartum mothers, and associated challenges may have a negative impact on their parenting and, consequently, on mother–infant bonding. This study aimed to longitudinally explore whether mothers’ self‐compassion was associated with mother–infant bonding and whether this relationship was mediated by mindful parenting and parenting stress. A total of 125 Portuguese mothers of infants aged between 0 and 12 months completed an online survey at two assessment points during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic (T1: April–May 2020; T2: June–July 2020). The survey included several questionnaires assessing sociodemographic, clinical, and COVID‐19 information; self‐compassion; mindful parenting; parenting stress; and mother–infant bonding. Mothers presented significantly higher levels of self‐compassion, less impaired mother–infant bonding, and lower levels of depressive symptoms at T2 than T1. Higher levels of self‐compassion at T1 predicted less impaired mother–infant bonding at T2, and this relationship was mediated by higher levels of mindful parenting and lower levels of parenting stress (both assessed at T1). These results highlight the relevance of mothers’ self‐compassion to establishing mother–infant bonding in the postpartum period, particularly during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and the important role of mindful parenting and parenting stress in determining this relationship.

Keeping your coparent in mind: A longitudinal investigation of mindfulness in the family system.

Recent studies have increasingly focused on mindfulness as it relates to interpersonal processes. In particular, cross-sectional research has shown that parents' dispositional mindfulness is associated with increased mindful parenting and coparenting, as well as improved coparenting relationship quality. The current study replicates and extends such work, representing the first longitudinal investigation of mindful coparenting. A sample of 449 parents (60% mothers) of children between the ages of 3 and 17years were recruited online through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) as part of a larger study on the assessment of parenting. Parents reported on their dispositional mindfulness, mindful coparenting, and coparenting relationship quality at three time points across an 8-month period. Results from a cross-lagged panel model using maximum likelihood estimation suggested that higher levels of parental mindfulness at baseline were related with higher levels of mindful coparenting at 4months, which, in turn, were related to higher quality coparenting relationship at 8months. Support for this model was found for both mothers and fathers and across all examined child age groups (i.e., early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence), highlighting the robust nature of these effects. Overall, findings suggest that increasing mindfulness at an individual level can promote meaningful change within a family system, specifically through improvements in coparenting and parent-child interactions.

Mindful parenting: future directions and challenges

ABSTRACT Mindful parenting teaches parents to focus awareness on their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, as well as pay attention to their children in an intentional, present-centered and non-judgmental manner. Mindfulness appears to improve the quality of parenting and the parent–child relationship, as well as enhance children’s and parents' levels of resilience and psychological functioning. However, an understanding of the processes and techniques underpinning effective mindful parenting remains constrained due to methodological limitations. These limitations include an over reliance on non-experimental designs, uncontrolled studies, self-report assessments, small sample sizes mostly comprising mothers, and uncertainty with regards to the definitions and meanings of certain concepts and protocols for mindful parenting interventions. In order to examine the effectiveness of mindful parenting interventions, standards need to be established which define the meaning of mindful parenting and identify the correlates, determinants and mechanisms of change in mindful parenting over time, in order to determine modifiable factors so that interventions can be appropriately targeted to vulnerable populations. This paper discusses some of the latest research developments in mindful parenting, provides recommendations for effective mindfulness practice from a parenting context and discusses key future challenges affecting this area of mindfulness research and practice.

Fatigue and Mindful Parenting in the Postpartum Period: The Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology

Fatigue and Mindful Parenting in the Postpartum Period: The Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Anxious and Depressive Symptomatology

O19 A Mindful Parenting Intervention for Obesity Prevention in Early Childhood

BackgroundLimited evidence exists on how the quality of maternal-child interactions influences preschoolers’ eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors and environments and, ultimately, growth. A 6-week, mindful parenting intervention was developed to facilitate positive parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA. The intervention targeted families with limited resources and was implemented with 33 mothers (35% Hispanic) of preschoolers living in rural, northeast Colorado.ObjectiveTo qualitatively describe parents’ experiences with a mindful parenting intervention, perceived changes to parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA opportunities, and the feasibility of the intervention.Study Design, Setting, ParticipantsThirty program participants were invited to participate in post-intervention focus groups (n = 4 groups; n = 18 participants) and individual interviews (n = 26) in the Spring of 2020.Measurable Outcome/AnalysisRecordings were transcribed verbatim and uploaded into NVivo v12. Group coding was used to train coders and establish coder consensus. Three trained coders independently analyzed transcripts utilizing a directed content analysis approach to understand how mindful parenting concepts were utilized by caregivers to facilitate positive parent-child interactions.ResultsParents described utilizing key aspects of mindful parenting within the mealtime and PA contexts. They found program content “easy to understand” and implement in their daily routines. Parental focus and presence, and non-judgmental acceptance of child emerged as key themes. For example, parents described employing skills such as asking questions and listening intently to understand their preschooler's point of view. These strategies subsequently resulted in less stressful interactions with their preschooler.ConclusionA mindful parenting approach to promote quality parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA was feasible and well accepted. Strategies related to mindful parenting were reported to positively influence how parents engaged with and communicated with their preschooler. Parents reported developing a greater understanding of their preschooler and feeling less stressed about mealtime and PA interactions. Limited evidence exists on how the quality of maternal-child interactions influences preschoolers’ eating and physical activity (PA) behaviors and environments and, ultimately, growth. A 6-week, mindful parenting intervention was developed to facilitate positive parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA. The intervention targeted families with limited resources and was implemented with 33 mothers (35% Hispanic) of preschoolers living in rural, northeast Colorado. To qualitatively describe parents’ experiences with a mindful parenting intervention, perceived changes to parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA opportunities, and the feasibility of the intervention. Thirty program participants were invited to participate in post-intervention focus groups (n = 4 groups; n = 18 participants) and individual interviews (n = 26) in the Spring of 2020. Recordings were transcribed verbatim and uploaded into NVivo v12. Group coding was used to train coders and establish coder consensus. Three trained coders independently analyzed transcripts utilizing a directed content analysis approach to understand how mindful parenting concepts were utilized by caregivers to facilitate positive parent-child interactions. Parents described utilizing key aspects of mindful parenting within the mealtime and PA contexts. They found program content “easy to understand” and implement in their daily routines. Parental focus and presence, and non-judgmental acceptance of child emerged as key themes. For example, parents described employing skills such as asking questions and listening intently to understand their preschooler's point of view. These strategies subsequently resulted in less stressful interactions with their preschooler. A mindful parenting approach to promote quality parent-child interactions during mealtimes and PA was feasible and well accepted. Strategies related to mindful parenting were reported to positively influence how parents engaged with and communicated with their preschooler. Parents reported developing a greater understanding of their preschooler and feeling less stressed about mealtime and PA interactions.

The mindful parenting model and its psychoeducational usefulness

Parenting as a social breakthrough is a complex and multi-faceted process that becomes noteworthy especially during the pandemic. The aim of the article is to present the psychoeducational usefulness of the mindful parenting model, which is based on the concept of mindfulness. Its elements: listening with full attention, nonjudgmental acceptance of self and child, emotional awareness of self and child, self-regulation in the parenting relationship and compassion for self and child aim at enriching the parents’ knowledge and skills with new competences. According to the authors, conscious use of the presented model may have a key impact on striving to build the best possible relationship with a child or a pupil.