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Passaquindici I, Nardozza O, Sperati A, Lionetti F, D'Urso G, Fasolo M, Spinelli M. Maternal dispositional mindfulness and mother-child relationship: The mediating role of emotional control during parenting. Child Care Health Dev 2024; 50:e13264. [PMID: 38606480 DOI: 10.1111/cch.13264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The literature supports the role of parental dispositional mindfulness on parent-child relationship quality. However, little is known about the connection between these two aspects. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate whether emotion regulation during parenting, that is, the ability to control negative emotions, mediated the association between parental dispositional mindfulness and parent-child relationship quality. The study also explored the moderation role of child age on the association between parental dispositional mindfulness and parent's ability to control negative emotions during parenting. METHODS Participants were 635 mothers of children aged between 12 months and 5 years. Mothers completed self-report questionnaires to measure maternal dispositional mindfulness, mother-child relationship quality and maternal control of negative emotions during parenting. RESULTS Results showed that maternal ability to control negative emotions during parenting partially mediated the association between maternal dispositional mindfulness and mother-child relationship quality. Moreover, the moderation role of child age indicated that the association between maternal dispositional mindfulness and maternal ability to control negative emotions during parenting was stronger for older children's mothers. CONCLUSION Dispositional mindfulness has a protective role for the quality of parenting and the mother-child relationship. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia Passaquindici
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Odette Nardozza
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Alessandra Sperati
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesca Lionetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Giulio D'Urso
- Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mirco Fasolo
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Maria Spinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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Ahmed N, Barnett P, Greenburgh A, Pemovska T, Stefanidou T, Lyons N, Ikhtabi S, Talwar S, Francis ER, Harris SM, Shah P, Machin K, Jeffreys S, Mitchell L, Lynch C, Foye U, Schlief M, Appleton R, Saunders KRK, Baldwin H, Allan SM, Sheridan-Rains L, Kharboutly O, Kular A, Goldblatt P, Stewart R, Kirkbride JB, Lloyd-Evans B, Johnson S. Mental health in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Lancet Psychiatry 2023; 10:537-556. [PMID: 37321240 PMCID: PMC10259832 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(23)00113-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused immediate and far-reaching disruption to society, the economy, and health-care services. We synthesised evidence on the effect of the pandemic on mental health and mental health care in high-income European countries. We included 177 longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional studies comparing prevalence or incidence of mental health problems, mental health symptom severity in people with pre-existing mental health conditions, or mental health service use before versus during the pandemic, or between different timepoints of the pandemic. We found that epidemiological studies reported higher prevalence of some mental health problems during the pandemic compared with before it, but that in most cases this increase reduced over time. Conversely, studies of health records showed reduced incidence of new diagnoses at the start of the pandemic, which further declined during 2020. Mental health service use also declined at the onset of the pandemic but increased later in 2020 and through 2021, although rates of use did not return to pre-pandemic levels for some services. We found mixed patterns of effects of the pandemic on mental health and social outcome for adults already living with mental health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nafiso Ahmed
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Phoebe Barnett
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK; Centre for Outcomes Research and Effectiveness, University College London, London, UK; National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London, UK
| | - Anna Greenburgh
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Tamara Pemovska
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Theodora Stefanidou
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Natasha Lyons
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Ikhtabi
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Shivangi Talwar
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emma R Francis
- Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Samantha M Harris
- Department of Health Promotion and Development, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Prisha Shah
- Lived Experience Working Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Karen Machin
- Lived Experience Working Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Stephen Jeffreys
- Lived Experience Working Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Lizzie Mitchell
- Lived Experience Working Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Chris Lynch
- Lived Experience Working Group, University College London, London, UK
| | - Una Foye
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Merle Schlief
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Appleton
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Katherine R K Saunders
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Helen Baldwin
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sophie M Allan
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Luke Sheridan-Rains
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Ariana Kular
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Peter Goldblatt
- Institute of Health Equity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert Stewart
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Brynmor Lloyd-Evans
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sonia Johnson
- National Institute of Health and Care Research Mental Health Policy Research Unit, University College London, London, UK; Camden and Islington National Health Service Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Piccolo LR, Oliveira JBA, Hirata G, Canfield CF, Roby E, Mendelsohn AL. Pre-pandemic support for shared reading buffers adverse parenting impacts: an RCT in Brazil. Pediatr Res 2022:10.1038/s41390-022-02419-8. [PMID: 36522551 PMCID: PMC9753875 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02419-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To examine whether (1) a parent-child reading program (Universidade do Bebê [UBB]), conducted in Brazil pre-pandemic can support parenting and parent-child reading 6 months into the pandemic, (2) cognitive stimulation at pandemic onset mediates effects of UBB on these outcomes, and (3) UBB pre-pandemic buffers associations between COVID-19-related distress and parenting/parent-child reading 6 months into the pandemic. METHODS 400 women, either pregnant or with children 0-24 months, were randomized to UBB (n = 200) or control groups. UBB consisted of monthly parent workshops focusing on parent-child reading and a book-lending library. Assessments pre-pandemic (June-2019) and at pandemic onset (April-2020) included cognitive stimulation. Assessments 6 months into the pandemic (October-2020) included COVID-19 exposure/impact/distress, as well as parenting and parent-child reading. RESULTS 133 families (n = 69 UBB) contributed data 6 months into the pandemic. Participation in UBB pre-pandemic was associated with parent-child reading but not parenting 6 months into the pandemic. Indirect effects of UBB through cognitive stimulation at pandemic onset were observed for both outcomes. Increased COVID-19-related distress was significantly associated with reduced parenting/parent-child reading 6 months into the pandemic in the control group only. CONCLUSION Promotion of cognitive stimulation pre-pandemic may have reduced risk for effects of the pandemic on parenting/parent-child reading. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial has been registered with the Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry RBR-29RZDH on 05/28/2018. IMPACT This is the first study showing sustained impacts of a reading aloud intervention beginning in pregnancy and early infancy implemented pre-pandemic. Findings suggest that participation in a reading-aloud intervention buffered associations between COVID-19 distress and parenting/parent-child reading 6 months into the pandemic. Novel empirical evidence suggests that promotion of cognitive stimulation prior to the pandemic may buffer its impacts on parenting and parent-child book reading following onset in low- and middle-income countries. Findings provide important new support for implementation of parent-child reading aloud programs and likely have implications for early childhood development beyond the COVID-19 pandemic for disasters generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciane R. Piccolo
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 462 First Ave—Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - João B. A. Oliveira
- Instituto Alfa e Beto, 538 Lineu Anterino Mariano st, Uberlândia, MG 38402-346 Brazil
| | - Guilherme Hirata
- IDados, 470 Visconde de Pirajá st., Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22410-002 Brazil
| | - Caitlin F. Canfield
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 462 First Ave—Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Erin Roby
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 462 First Ave—Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Alan L. Mendelsohn
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 462 First Ave—Bellevue Hospital, New York, NY 10016 USA
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A Web-Based, Mindful, and Compassionate Parenting Training for Mothers Experiencing Parenting Stress: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Mindful Moment Program. Mindfulness (N Y) 2022; 13:3091-3108. [PMID: 36408119 PMCID: PMC9649016 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-02016-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Mindful Moment is a self-guided, web-based, mindful, and compassionate parenting training for postpartum mothers who experience parenting stress. We aimed to assess Mindful Moment’s feasibility, acceptability, and usability, and to gather preliminary evidence of its effectiveness in reducing parenting stress and outcomes such as mindful parenting, self-compassion, depressive symptoms, anxious symptoms, dispositional mindfulness, mother’s perception of infant temperament, and mother-infant bonding. Methods This pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was a two-arm trial and followed the CONSORT 2010, CONSORT-EHEALTH, and CONSORT-SPI 2018 extension guidelines. A total of 292 Portuguese mothers were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 146) or to the waiting list control group (n = 146) and completed baseline (T1) and postintervention (T2) self-reported assessments. Results A total of 31 mothers (21.23%) completed the Mindful Moment intervention. Most mothers evaluated the program as good or excellent (90%), considered that Mindful Moment provided them the kind of help they expected or wanted (61%), were satisfied with the help provided by the program (74.6%), would recommend it to a friend in a similar situation (86.4%), and would use it again if needed (81.4%). Regarding the program’s preliminary effectiveness, mothers in the intervention group presented a greater decrease in parenting stress, a greater increase in dispositional mindfulness, and a greater decrease in their perception of the difficult temperament of their infants from T1 to T2. Conclusions This study provides preliminary evidence of the Mindful Moment’s effectiveness and suggests that it is a feasible and acceptable program for postpartum mothers experiencing parenting stress. Further research is needed to confirm these results in a larger RCT. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04892082).
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major public health concern and has, at its core, a sense of maternal 'disconnection' - from the self, the infant, and the support system. While PPD bears similarities with MDD, there is increasing evidence for its distinct nature, especially with the unique aspect of the mother-infant relationship. Current treatment modalities for PPD, largely based on those used in major depressive disorder (MDD), have low remission rates with emerging evidence for treatment resistance. It is, therefore, necessary to explore alternative avenues of treatment for PPD. OBJECTIVE In this narrative review, we outline the potential therapeutic rationale for serotonergic psychedelics in the treatment of PPD, and highlight safety and pragmatic considerations for the use of psychedelics in the postpartum period. METHODS We examined the available evidence for the treatment of PPD and the evidence for psychedelics in the treatment of MDD. We explored safety considerations in the use of psychedelics in the postpartum period. RESULTS There is increasing evidence for safety, and encouraging signals for efficacy, of psilocybin in the treatment of MDD. Psilocybin has been shown to catalyse a sense of 'reconnection' in participants with MDD. This effect in PPD, by fostering a sense of 'reconnection' for the mother, may allow for improved mood and maternal sensitivity towards the infant, which can positively impact maternal role gratification and the mother-infant relationship. CONCLUSION Psychedelic assisted therapy in PPD may have a positive effect on the mother-infant dyad and warrants further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaitra Jairaj
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,The National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland,Chaitra Jairaj, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - James J Rucker
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Foundation Trust, Beckenham, UK
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Do Improvements in Maternal Mental Health Predict Improvements in Parenting? Mechanisms of the Mindful with Your Baby Training. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19137571. [PMID: 35805226 PMCID: PMC9265470 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Postpartum mental health symptoms are associated with parenting difficulties, which have negative consequences for child development. Interventions for young mothers should target their mental health problems and parenting difficulties. Mindful with Your Baby (MwyB) is an intervention for parents, with a baby, who experience (mental) health problems and/or stress or insecurity in parenting. This study seeks to replicate previous effects of MwyB regarding mindfulness, mindful parenting, maternal (mental) health (psychological distress, depressive mood, physical health complaints) and parenting outcomes (parenting stress, parental self-efficacy, bonding), and gain insight into the working mechanisms of the training. Mothers with babies aged 1–18 months (n = 61) completed questionnaires at waitlist, pretest, posttest, and 8-week follow-up. No significant differences were seen between the waitlist and pretest. Significant improvements in all outcomes were shown in the posttest (except for physical health complaints) and follow-up, compared to the pretest. Improvements in depressive symptoms and physical health complaints were dependent on improvements in mindfulness. Improvements in parental self-efficacy were dependent on improvements in mindful parenting. Improvements in some (mental) health and parenting outcomes seemed to be bidirectional. The results suggest that both mindfulness and mindful parenting are important for mothers who experience psychological distress and/or stress or insecurity in parenting their babies.
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COVID-19 related worry moderates the association between postpartum depression and mother-infant bonding. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 149:83-86. [PMID: 35259664 PMCID: PMC8889491 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.02.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to ask whether a substantial external stressor, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, affects the association between postpartum depression (PPD) and mother-infant bonding. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether worry regarding such an external threat differentially affected PPD and bonding by analyzing a longitudinal sample of postpartum women assessed before and during the pandemic. One-hundred forty women responded to online questionnaires at (T1) Pre-COVID-19: Six months postpartum (February 2018 to December 2019), and (T2) During COVID-19: Twenty-one months postpartum (April 2020 to January 2021). The strength of correlation between mother-infant bonding and PPD significantly declined from before (T1: R = 0.64, p < 0.00) to during the pandemic (T2: R = 0.44, p < 0.001; Difference = 0.20, p = 0.05). Furthermore, only PPD correlated with the worry due to the pandemic; thus the PPD-bonding association was weaker among women who were less concerned about the pandemic (F(3, 136) = 15.4, R2 = 0.25). The study suggests that emotions and cognitions related to motherhood, such as mother-infant bonding, may be more resilient to external pressures such as a pandemic than affective states such as PPD. (174 words).
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Fernandes DV, Canavarro MC, Moreira H. Self-compassion and mindful parenting among postpartum mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of depressive and anxious symptoms. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 42:1-13. [PMID: 35283611 PMCID: PMC8905028 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02959-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Self-compassion is an important psychological skill that may facilitate the adoption of a mindful way of parenting, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the association between these constructs may be explained by several variables, such as maternal psychopathological symptoms, with a well-established interference in parenting. This study aimed to compare mothers who experienced and mothers who did not experience a negative emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-compassion, mindful parenting, postpartum depressive symptoms (PPDS) and postpartum anxious symptoms (PPAS). We also explored whether mothers' self-compassion was associated with mindful parenting and whether this relationship may be mediated by PPDS and PPAS. A sample of 977 Portuguese mothers of infants aged between zero and six months completed an online survey between December 2020 and January 2021, a period of major pandemic-related restrictions. The survey included several self-report questionnaires that assessed sociodemographic, clinical, and COVID-19 information, self-compassion, mindful parenting, PPDS and PPAS. Mothers who reported having felt that the pandemic had a negative emotional impact during their postpartum period (79.5%) presented lower levels of self-compassion and mindful parenting, and higher levels of PPDS and PPAS. Regarding the mediation model, higher levels of self-compassion were related to higher levels of mindful parenting, and this association was mediated by lower levels of PPAS. These results highlight the relevance of mothers' self-compassion for helping them feel less anxious and to adopt a mindful way of parenting in the postpartum period, particularly during the pandemic. Compassion-based interventions may be particularly important in reducing PPAS and promoting mindful parenting and should be available to postpartum mothers, especially during, but also beyond the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ventura Fernandes
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioural Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Do Colégio Novo, 3030-115 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria Cristina Canavarro
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioural Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Do Colégio Novo, 3030-115 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Helena Moreira
- Centre for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Behavioural Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Do Colégio Novo, 3030-115 Coimbra, Portugal
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