Mindful Parenting for Reducing Stress

Overseen By Tara Chaplin, Ph.D.

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: George Mason University

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

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to evaluate how two different programs can assist parents experiencing high stress. The Parenting Mindfully Intervention teaches mindfulness techniques for stress management, while the other program offers education on adolescent development. The goal is to determine which approach better supports parents of teenagers. Families with a child aged 12 to 14 and a parent under significant stress may be well-suited for this study. As an unphased trial, it provides a unique opportunity for parents to explore new strategies for managing stress and supporting their teenagers.

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 prior data suggests that the Parenting Mindfully intervention is safe for parents?

Research shows that mindfulness programs can be safe and helpful for parents. These programs reduce stress and improve parent-child relationships. For instance, one study discovered that parents who participated in a mindfulness program felt less stressed even six weeks after it ended. Another study found that an online mindful parenting program was much more effective than no intervention.

These results suggest that joining a Mindful Parenting Intervention is generally well-received. Studies have reported no serious negative effects, making it a safe option for parents who want to manage stress. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Parenting Mindfully (PM) Intervention because it offers a fresh approach to reducing stress for parents through mindfulness techniques. Unlike traditional parenting programs that focus on education about adolescent development, the PM intervention is an experiential group-based program that emphasizes being present and mindful in parenting moments. This method could help parents manage stress more effectively by fostering emotional regulation and awareness, which are not typically addressed in standard educational interventions. By providing parents with tools to be more mindful, this intervention has the potential to create a more supportive and nurturing environment for both parents and their children.

What evidence suggests that this trial's interventions could be effective for reducing stress in parents?

This trial will compare the Parenting Mindfully (PM) Intervention with the Parent Education (PE) Intervention. Research has shown that mindfulness activities, like those in the PM Intervention, can greatly reduce stress in parents. A detailed review of studies found that these activities help lower parenting stress and improve relationships with children. Another study found that mindfulness programs enhance parenting behavior and strengthen the bond between parents and children. These programs also significantly reduce stress, even for single mothers. Overall, mindfulness methods effectively reduce stress and improve parents' well-being. ^{2 5 6 7 8}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

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.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

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

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Parenting Mindfully 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.

How Is the Trial Designed?

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+

Published Research Related to This Trial

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]

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]

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]

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]

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 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]

Citations

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This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for parents, in reducing parenting stress and improving youth ...

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(PDF) Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Parents

Results indicated significant reductions in parenting stress across both the mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducation and ...

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rsisinternational.org

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The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Parenting to Reduce ...

In conclusion, mindfulness parenting effectively reduced parenting stress in single mothers without being significantly affected by the level of ...

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link.springer.com

link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-023-01492-2

Mindful Parenting Group Intervention for Parents of ...

The current pilot study examines the effectiveness of a mindful parenting intervention (MPI) for parents of young children with clinical anxiety.

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clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05370768

Study Details | NCT05370768 | Parenting Mindfully Study II

This study will conduct a large Randomized Controlled Trial to test effects of a parenting mindfully (PM) intervention versus a parent education (PE) ...

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link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10826-025-03139-3

Randomized Controlled Trial of Parent and Child ...

The parents from the treatment group continued to see reductions in stress at the 6-week follow-up, indicating that parents continued to ...

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A Randomized Control Trial Evaluating an Online Mindful ...

Results: The online mindful parenting intervention was shown to be significantly more effective at a 95% level than a waitlist period with ...