Mindful Parenting for Reducing Stress

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: George Mason University

Disqualifiers: Intellectual disability, Psychosis, Suicidality, SUDs, others

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing two programs for highly stressed parents of early adolescents. One program teaches mindfulness to help parents stay calm, while the other provides general parenting tips. The goal is to see which program better reduces stress and improves parenting.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have an untreated substance use disorder (except for tobacco), you must seek treatment before participating.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Mindful Parenting for Reducing Stress?

Research shows that mindfulness-based interventions for parents can reduce parenting stress and improve psychological outcomes for both parents and children. Studies indicate that these interventions lead to small to moderate reductions in stress and improvements in youth outcomes, although more research is needed to confirm these findings. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is mindful parenting safe for participants in clinical trials?

Mindful parenting programs have been generally well-received and show positive effects in reducing stress, with no significant safety concerns reported in the studies reviewed. However, some parents experienced increased stress, suggesting individual responses may vary. ^{1 2 4 5 6}

How is the Mindful Parenting treatment different from other treatments for reducing parenting stress?

Mindful Parenting is unique because it focuses on increasing parents' mindfulness, which means being more aware and present in the moment with their children, leading to reduced stress and improved parent-child relationships. Unlike other treatments, it emphasizes emotional awareness and self-regulation, which can positively impact both parents and their children's psychological outcomes. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Research Team

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for families with an adolescent aged 12-14 experiencing high stress. One caregiver must show significant stress and both the teen and at least one parent need to speak English well enough for surveys. Families can't join if the teen has intellectual disabilities, psychosis, or a past substance use disorder; or if any family member currently has untreated substance abuse (except tobacco) or active, untreated suicidality.

Inclusion Criteria

High stress levels for at least one primary caregiver on stress screener

Adequate English proficiency to complete questionnaires for adolescent and at least one parent

I have a child aged between 12 and 14 years.

Exclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with an intellectual disability.

Current substance use disorders (SUDs) that are untreated for parent except Tobacco Use Disorder

I have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder in my lifetime.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Parents participate in an 8-week group-based intervention, either Parenting Mindfully (PM) or Parent Education (PE)

8 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for parent stress, parenting, and adolescent substance use and psychological symptoms

2 years

Follow-ups at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Parenting Mindfully Intervention (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study compares two programs: Parenting Mindfully (PM) and Parent Education (PE). It aims to see which is more effective in reducing parenting stress and preventing adolescent substance abuse. Parents are randomly assigned to either PM or PE intervention groups.

Participant Groups

Group I: Parenting Mindfully (PM) Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

PM is an group based 8 week mindfulness intervention for parents.

Group II: Parent Education (PE) Intervention Active Control 1 Intervention

PE is a group based 8 week educational intervention for parents that teaches parents about adolescent development.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

George Mason University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

60

Recruited

50,200+

Dr. Ali Andalibi

George Mason University

Chief Executive Officer

PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from UCLA

Dr. Chetan S. Shah

George Mason University

Chief Medical Officer since 2013

MD from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Findings from Research

Mindful parenting interventions have shown promising effects on improving parental self-regulation, which is crucial for positive parent-child interactions and child development.

Preliminary results indicate that mindfulness-based programs specifically designed for parents can benefit both parents and children, highlighting the need for further research in this area.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship]. Bröning, S., Brandt, M.[2022]

Mindfulness interventions for parents can lead to a small reduction in parenting stress immediately after the intervention (g = 0.34) and a moderate reduction at a 2-month follow-up (g = 0.53), suggesting these practices can have lasting benefits.

These interventions also show a small improvement in youth psychological outcomes (g = 0.27), particularly in externalizing and cognitive behaviors, although the overall effectiveness is limited by methodological weaknesses in the studies reviewed.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Mindfulness Interventions for Parents on Parenting Stress and Youth Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Burgdorf, V., Szabó, M., Abbott, MJ.[2023]

The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, enhanced with a positive parenting component, aims to help parents of children with mental health issues manage stress and improve their emotional well-being.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the MBSR program on various outcomes such as stress reduction, mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and overall health, while also exploring how participants perceive the changes and apply the strategies in their daily lives.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protocol for the Implementation and Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Children with Mental Disorders in a Clinical Setting. Pizarro-Carmona, A., Baena, S., Jiménez, P., et al.[2021]

The brief, online mindful parenting program called Two Hearts was found to be feasible and acceptable for parents, with all six participants completing the 4-week program and reporting lasting benefits.

Three out of six parents showed a reliable reduction in parenting stress after the program, with two achieving clinically significant improvements, indicating potential effectiveness for some parents, though adherence and dosage need further exploration.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A brief online mindful parenting program: Feasibility and initial effects pilot in a community sample. Sherwood, A., Paynter, J., Emerson, LM.[2023]

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown positive effects in managing parenting distress among parents of children with disabilities, according to a narrative review of various studies.

The review indicates that MBIs can effectively reduce parenting stress and psychological distress, providing preliminary support for their use in this specific population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness and parenting distress among parents of children with disabilities: A literature review. Rayan, A., Ahmad, M.[2018]

The Parenting Mindfully (PM) intervention significantly increased mindfulness and reduced parenting stress among 83 mothers of adolescents, leading to improved parent-adolescent relationship quality.

The intervention was particularly effective for mothers of girls, decreasing negative parenting behaviors and emotional responses during parent-adolescent interactions, with medium to large effect sizes observed.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parenting-focused mindfulness intervention reduces stress and improves parenting in highly-stressed mothers of adolescents. Tara M Chaplin, ., Turpyn, CC., Fischer, S., et al.[2022]

An 8-week mindful parenting program significantly reduced parental stress levels in parents of children with ADHD, as measured by the Parenting Stress Index, with a notable decrease in total stress scores (p = .018).

The program also led to significant improvements in two specific areas of parental stress: Parental Distress and Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction, highlighting the effectiveness of mindful parenting techniques in managing stress related to parenting children with ADHD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based psychoeducation for parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: an applied clinical project. Anderson, SB., Guthery, AM.[2019]

Mindful parenting interventions significantly improve parenting mindfulness scores among parents of typically developing children, with a moderate effect size (d=0.62) based on a meta-analysis of 11 studies involving 1,340 parents.

Despite the positive impact on parenting mindfulness, no significant effects were found on overall parenting stress or other secondary outcomes like parenting behaviours and child behavioural outcomes, indicating a need for further research in these areas.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of mindful parenting interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Shorey, S., Ng, ED.[2021]

References

1. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship]. [2022]

2. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Mindfulness Interventions for Parents on Parenting Stress and Youth Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. [2023]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protocol for the Implementation and Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Caregivers of Children with Mental Disorders in a Clinical Setting. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A brief online mindful parenting program: Feasibility and initial effects pilot in a community sample. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness and parenting distress among parents of children with disabilities: A literature review. [2018]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Parenting-focused mindfulness intervention reduces stress and improves parenting in highly-stressed mothers of adolescents. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based psychoeducation for parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: an applied clinical project. [2019]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of mindful parenting interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. [2021]