Comparative effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducational support on parenting stress in families of autistic preschoolers.

LAY ABSTRACT: Parents of autistic children often experience high levels of parenting stress, which can have negative mental and physical effects on both the parent and child. This study tested the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction in reducing parenting stress in parents of preschool-aged autistic children compared to a psychoeducation and support intervention. We assessed parenting stress before and after the interventions and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Both interventions significantly decreased parenting stress, but mindfulness-based stress reduction reduced stress more than did psychoeducation and support, with the strongest effect observed 1 year later. This suggests that the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction persist and may increase over time.

Self-Reported Parenting Stress and Cortisol Awakening Response Following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention for Parents of Children With Developmental Delays: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Many parents of children with developmental delays (DDs) experience high levels of parental stress, and young children with DDs are likely to exhibit clinical levels of behavioral problems. The reciprocal relationship between the two issues makes these families vulnerable to stress-related health risks. To address this, the current study aims to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) at reducing parent stress, as measured by both psychological self-report and a physiological biomarker. METHOD: A pretest-posttest design with a 6-month follow-up assessment was used to establish effectiveness with analyses of within-subject effects. Parents (N = 47) of children (2.5-5 years of age) with DDs participated in a standard 8-week MBSR intervention. Measures included the Parenting Daily Hassles, a self-report measure of perceived frequency and intensity of parenting stress, and salivary samples for measurement of the cortisol awakening response (CAR), a biological marker of stress response. RESULTS: Both self-reported parenting stress and CAR decreased following MBSR for parents of children with DDs. The greatest difference in means over time was between baseline and follow-up, where changes in effect size were even stronger for biological markers than for self-report measures. CONCLUSION: The MBSR intervention reduced both perceived and physiologic stress. Health-care professionals caring for these families might consider encouraging parents to participate in MBSR as both treatment and prevention of parenting stress.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Parents of Children with Developmental Delays: Understanding the Experiences of Latino Families.

Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) report elevated mental health difficulties compared to parents of children with typical development, which appear largely associated with child behavior problems. Latino parents of children with DD may experience heightened risk for poor mental health outcomes due additional stressors associated with minority status. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) appears to be efficacious for reducing parenting stress and improving wellbeing in families of children with DD; however, studies have rarely focused on families from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. The current study employed a mixed-methods, waitlist-control design to examine the efficacy of MBSR for improving parent and child outcomes in Latino and non-Latino families. Results indicate that MBSR is similarly efficacious for Latino and non-Latino families in improving parent mental health (parenting stress, depressive symptomatology, and life satisfaction) and reducing parent-reported child behavior problems. Qualitative analyses further highlight avenues for improving the efficacy of MBSR for Latino families by providing intervention directly in Spanish, rather than using translation services, for Spanish-speaking families. Findings reveal the efficacy of standard MSBR for Latino parents of children with DD and underscore the potential benefits of disseminating this practice to traditionally underrepresented families.

Parent Perspectives of Applying Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Strategies to Special Education.

Parents of children with (versus without) intellectual and developmental disabilities report greater stress; such stress may be exacerbated by dissatisfaction with school services, poor parent-school partnerships, and the need for parent advocacy. Increasingly, mindfulness interventions have been used to reduce parent stress. However, it is unclear whether parents apply mindfulness strategies during the special education process to reduce school-related stress. To investigate whether mindfulness may reduce school-related stress, interviews were conducted with 26 parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who completed a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention. Participants were asked about their stress during meetings with the school, use of mindfulness strategies in communicating with the school, and the impact of such strategies. The majority of parent participants reported: special education meetings were stressful; they used mindfulness strategies during IEP meetings; and such strategies affected parents' perceptions of improvements in personal well-being, advocacy, family-school relationships, and access to services for their children. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

Feasibility of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Delays.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions are popular as a treatment strategy for myriad diagnoses in various settings, and may be beneficial for parents of children with developmental delays (DD). However, prior research suggests extreme levels of stress and extraordinary demands on time among these parents, making the feasibility of effectively implementing MBSR with this population questionable. This study examined the feasibility of administering standard MBSR to a diverse community-based sample of parents of young children with DD. The potential impact of MBSR interventions includes improvement in parents' mental health, and collateral benefits for the family environment, including improved child behavior. Nurses may have an integral role in interdisciplinary teams providing MBSR.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for parents of young children with developmental delays: implications for parental mental health and child behavior problems.

BACKGROUND: Parents of children with developmental delays (DD) typically report elevated levels of parental stress compared with parents of typically developing children. Children with DD are also at high risk for exhibiting significant behaviour problems. Parental stress has been shown to impact the development of these behaviour problems; however, it is rarely addressed in interventions aimed at reducing child behaviour problems. The current study examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for parents of children with DD by investigating whether this intervention is effective in reducing parenting stress and whether decreases in parenting stress lead to reductions in behaviour problems among children with DD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty six parents of children with DD were randomly assigned to an immediate treatment or wait list-control group. Participants completed questionnaires assessing parental stress and child behaviour problems at intake and at a second assessment, which took place after only the immediate treatment group had received the MBSR. RESULTS: Parents who participated in MBSR reported significantly less stress and depression as well as greater life satisfaction compared with wait list-control parents. Regarding child outcomes, children whose parents participated in MBSR were reported to have fewer behaviour problems following the intervention, specifically in the areas of attention problems and ADHD symptomatology. DISCUSSION: Results indicated that MBSR may be an effective intervention for ameliorating parental stress and mental health problems among parents of children with DD. Additionally, these benefits may 'spill over' and improve behaviour challenges among these children.

Psychoneuroimmunology and the pediatric surgeon.

The mind-body connection is receiving increasing scrutiny in a large number of clinical settings, although research has lagged in the pediatric specialties. Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a novel interdisciplinary scientific field that examines the relationship of the mind to the patient's neurologic, endocrine, and immune systems by examining critical parameters such as the effects of mental stress on wound healing and infection rates. Techniques that modify a patient's emotional and mental responses to illness and surgery have positive effects on their physiology resulting in improved recoveries and higher patient satisfaction rates. In the appropriate clinical settings, an awareness of PNI can enhance outcomes for pediatric surgical patients.