Benefits of Mindfulness for Parenting in Mothers of Preschoolers in Chile

Mindful parenting-A thematic exploration of narratives from Indian mothers

Introduction

With the global crisis of COVID-19 continuing, Indian mothers have not received adequate attention with respect to their challenges and mothering experiences. The current study explored mindful parenting practices in a cohort of Indian mothers of children aged 10 years and below that emerged in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Methods

In-depth virtual interviews were conducted with 31 urban Indian mothers to explore their lived experiences of mothering during the global crisis and their engagements with mindful parenting practices. The data were thematically analyzed.

Results and Discussion

The study identified two overarching themes and nine subthemes. The first theme, pandemic-induced stress, included the sub-themes of increased workload, poor support system, lack of time for self, and emotional and physical distress. The second theme of mindful parenting included the sub-themes of awareness as a mother and around the child, acceptance toward self and the child, empathic understanding of self and the child, active engagement with the child, and emotional regulation. Increased workload on all fronts coupled with poor support and a lack of time for self-contributed to exacerbated emotional and physical stress in mothers. They addressed these concerns posed by their lived experiences by engaging in mindful parenting processes in their mothering practices. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mindfulness-based parenting techniques could be explored as possible interventions for mothers to alleviate their distress while drawing attention to larger structural changes and policy-level interventions addressing social issues such as gender inequality and childcare concerns.

The effects of mindfulness upbringing perception on social entrepreneurship orientation: A moderated mediation model of prosocial motivation and perceived pressure from external stakeholders

Driven by economic and social benefits, social enterprises create new development models that combine wealth creation, social welfare provision, and environmental improvement through innovative approaches. The social entrepreneurship orientation reflects the behavioral tendency to transplant entrepreneurship orientation into the field of social value creation. It is a strategy to balance and integrate economic interests and social interests, which has a significant impact on social entrepreneurship performance. The purpose of this study is to explore the internal mechanism of the impact of social entrepreneurs’ mindfulness upbringing perception on social entrepreneur orientation. To reveal the internal mechanism, we propose a moderated and mediation model of prosocial motivation and perceived pressure from external stakeholders. In this study, random sampling was conducted among social start-ups in China. In order to improve the accuracy of the scale, a pre-survey was conducted before the formal survey. The data analysis results of the pre-survey showed that the scale in this study was suitable for the Chinese context and had good external validity. Through using survey data from social entrepreneurs in China, hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping model are adapted to test and verify mediation and moderation effects. The results show that mindfulness upbringing perception indeed positively influences social entrepreneurship orientation directly and partly through the mediating effect of prosocial motivation. Moreover, findings suggest the perceived pressure from external stakeholders negatively moderates not only the relationship between prosocial motivation and social entrepreneurship orientation but also the overall mediation model. This indicates that social entrepreneurs with low perceived pressure from external stakeholders will improve their social entrepreneurship orientation rapidly when their prosocial level is high. Based on these findings, we conclude that social entrepreneurship orientation may be achieved more effectively through the complex process of mindfulness upbringing perception, prosocial motivation, and perceived pressure from external stakeholders. Finally, the study proposes the theoretical and practical implications and suggestions for follow-up research.

Mindful Parenting Intervention MinUTo App for Parents of Preschool Children: Study Protocol of a Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: Mindful parenting and the use of technology for parenting intervention have expanded separately from one another with promising results, but their relationship is underexplored. The current study protocol proposes a new universal intervention via app, MINd Us TOghether (MinUTo), based on mindful parenting for parents of typically developing children of 4–5 years of age. Methods: The effect of the intervention is evaluated using a randomised controlled trial. Around 2000 parents are enrolled and randomised to the intervention and control groups. Data are collected in three different waves from parents at baseline and endline; APP usage data allow for the analysis of intervention adherence. The MinUTo app proposes contents and activities for five dimensions of mindful parenting. Each dimension is presented within a two-week distance, explaining its importance, providing information, and offering activities for parents and children. Expected results: We hypothesise a positive effect of the intervention on primary outcomes (mindful parenting, parenting stress, parent behaviours and parental time investment), increasing parents’ skills and promoting a positive parent–child relationship. We also test possible effects on secondary outcomes (parenting attitudes and beliefs) at an explorative level. Conclusions: The study will add new considerations about the psychological and economic impact of technologies in implementing parenting interventions in non-clinical populations.

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.

The efficacy of mindful parenting interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Mindful parenting is the process of bringing awareness and attention intentionally in a non-reactive and non-judgemental way to a child at any present moment. Parenting mindfulness is believed to influence parenting factors and parental psychological outcomes, child's emotional and behavioural outcomes, and family relationships. However, the efficacy of such interventions on interpersonal mindfulness in parenting and parenting behaviours has received minimal empirical attention.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aims to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of mindful parenting interventions on parenting mindfulness and parenting behaviours. Parenting stress, parents' psychological wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, and child behavioural outcomes were examined secondarily. When meta-analysis was not possible (due to insufficient data in the included studies), the narrative approach was taken to present the findings.

DESIGN

A systematic review, meta-analysis, and narrative summary.

METHODS

Six electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses) were systematically searched for articles in the English language from their respective dates of inception to December 2020. Studies involving clinical and non-clinical samples of parents with children or youths aged 24 years and below were included. Only randomised controlled trials were included. Studies were excluded if the mindfulness intervention did not focus on parenting skills training; that is, it focused on childbirth, stress reduction or incorporated other forms of therapy (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy). Data was synthesised using a random-effects model in RevMan 5.4. The outcomes of primary interest were parenting mindfulness and parenting behaviours. The secondary outcomes were parenting stress, parents' psychological wellbeing, interpersonal relationships, and child behavioural outcomes.

RESULTS

Eleven studies representing 1,340 parents from six countries were included in the review. No evidence of intervention effect was found for overall parenting mindfulness and overall parenting stress. However, mindful parenting interventions demonstrated a moderate effect size when examining parenting mindfulness scores (standardised mean differences (d)=0.62, 95% CI: 0.11, 1.13, p = 0.02) of parents with non-clinical samples of children. No intervention effect was found for overall parenting stress. Due to insufficient studies and data, findings on parenting behaviours, psychological wellbeing, relationships, and child behaviour were presented narratively.

CONCLUSION

Mindful parenting interventions are associated with higher parenting mindfulness scores for parents of typically developing children when compared with a control group. The limited studies and mixed results on positive parenting behaviours, parental psychological wellbeing, parental relationship with child and partner, and child behavioural outcomes serve as an impetus for further research.

Estudos Psicométricos da Versão Brasileira da Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale (IMP)

Resumo A Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale (IMP) é uma escala de autorrelato que avalia a utilização de habilidades de mindfulness na relação entre pais e filhos. O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar a IMP para o contexto brasileiro e investigar suas propriedades psicométricas. A adaptação para o português brasileiro foi realizada por psicólogas com características do público-alvo do instrumento. Na etapa de busca por evidências de validade, a amostra foi composta por 221 mães de crianças entre seis e 12 anos. Utilizou-se um questionário de caracterização da amostra, IMP e Questionário de Cinco Facetas de Mindfulness (FFMQ-BR). Os resultados indicaram que os itens apresentaram composição fatorial adequada, e a escala demonstrou consistência interna adequada e se correlacionou de forma positiva com escores gerais de mindfulness (FFMQ-BR). Recomenda-se o uso da IMP em futuras investigações brasileiras que tenham como objetivo a mensuração do nível de mindful parenting em mães.

The Effect of Mindfulness Interventions for Parents on Parenting Stress and Youth Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The psychological well-being of parents and children is compromised in families characterized by greater parenting stress. As parental mindfulness is associated with lower parenting stress, a growing number of studies have investigated whether mindfulness interventions can improve outcomes for families. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for parents, in reducing parenting stress and improving youth psychological outcomes. Methods: A literature search for peer-reviewed articles and dissertations was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines in the PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses databases. Studies were included if they reported on a mindfulness-based intervention delivered in person to parents with the primary aim of reducing parenting stress or improving youth psychological outcomes. Results: Twenty-five independent studies were included in the review. Eighteen studies used a single group design and six were randomized controlled trials. Within-groups, meta-analysis indicated a small, post-intervention reduction in parenting stress (g = 0.34), growing to a moderate reduction at 2 month follow-up (g = 0.53). Overall, there was a small improvement in youth outcomes (g = 0.27). Neither youth age or clinical status, nor time in mindfulness training, moderated parenting stress or overall youth outcome effects. Youth outcomes were not moderated by intervention group attendees. Change in parenting stress predicted change in youth externalizing and cognitive effects, but not internalizing effects. In controlled studies, parenting stress reduced more in mindfulness groups than control groups (g = 0.44). Overall, risk of bias was assessed as serious. Conclusions: Mindfulness interventions for parents may reduce parenting stress and improve youth psychological functioning. While improvements in youth externalizing and cognitive outcomes may be explained by reductions in parenting stress, it appears that other parenting factors may contribute to improvements in youth internalizing outcomes. Methodological weaknesses in the reviewed literature prevent firm conclusions from being drawn regarding effectiveness. Future research should address these methodological issues before mindfulness interventions for parents are recommended as an effective treatment option for parents or their children.