An Online Mindful Parenting Training for Mothers Raising Toddlers: Assessment of Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Personal Goals

Abstract

Objectives Mindful parenting (MP) interventions show promising results, but they mostly target parents (of children) with mental health problems. This study examined an online MP intervention for mothers with toddlers in a population-based sample. Aims were to assess acceptability and effectiveness of the intervention for mothers with and without parental stress, and examine their predetermined personal goals. Methods The study included 157 mothers with toddlers from the general population of whom 73 reported parental stress. The mothers participated in an 8-week online MP training. Questionnaires were completed at waitlist, pretest, posttest, and follow-up. Results Mothers rated the training positively, although only 23.1% completed the training. Personal goals were analyzed qualitatively, establishing four different themes: attention, well-being, patience, and balance. Significant improvements in personal goals posttest and follow-up were found (large and very large effect size, respectively). We found no significant improvements from waitlist to pretest for all outcome variables, except personal goals (medium effect size). Mixed-linear model analyses showed significant improvements posttest and follow-up as compared to pretest regarding Self-compassion, Parental over-reactivity and Symptoms of anxiety and depression (small to medium effect sizes). There was an effect at posttest for Parenting problems, and for Parental role restriction at follow-up (small effect sizes). Levels of parental stress and theme of personal goal did not influence the effectiveness of the intervention. Conclusions The current study provides initial evidence that an online MP training could be an easily accessible, inexpensive, and valuable intervention for parents without an indication for a therapist-assisted intervention. Trial Registration Dutch Trial Register (NTR7401)

Parents of young infants report poor mental health and more insensitive parenting during the first Covid-19 lockdown

“…Offering these parents emotional and instrumental support during the pandemic may be beneficial to improve their mental health and protect their parenting quality. Future studies should investigate factors that worsen or improve parental mental health (e.g., the role of (social) media coverage and crisis communication practices [ 63 , 64 ];) and interventions stimulating parenting quality during times of crisis (e.g., an online mindful parenting training [ 65 ];). Future research should also replicate our findings in other countries, as countries managed the crisis and infections very differently with, for example, differences in lockdown strategies and attention paid to the consequences of the pandemic for citizens’ mental health (e.g., [ 66 , 67 ]).…”

Mindful Parent Training for Parents of Children Aged 3–12 Years with Behavioral Problems: a Scoping Review

“…Looking towards the future, Potharst et al ( 2019 ) were able to demonstrate small effect size improvements in child behavior and parent style through a self-directed, low-intensity online mindfulness intervention delivered to socially advantaged mothers from a longitudinal cohort study. Online parenting interventions have promise (Boekhorst et al, 2021 ), including equal efficacy to face-to-face delivery for parents of young children with ADHD (DuPaul et al, 2017 ). However, concerns have been raised about acceptability of online delivery, and particularly for socially disadvantaged families in terms of engagement, user costs, privacy, and scheduling where there is synchronous delivery (Boekhorst et al, 2021 ; Wilkerson et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Online parenting interventions have promise (Boekhorst et al, 2021 ), including equal efficacy to face-to-face delivery for parents of young children with ADHD (DuPaul et al, 2017 ). However, concerns have been raised about acceptability of online delivery, and particularly for socially disadvantaged families in terms of engagement, user costs, privacy, and scheduling where there is synchronous delivery (Boekhorst et al, 2021 ; Wilkerson et al, 2020 ). The importance of creating effective and engaging online parenting programs has been underscored by the shift to online service-provision across the globe since COVID-19 (Cluver et al, 2020 ).…”

From the Womb into the World: Protecting the Fetal Brain from Maternal Stress During Pregnancy

“…Online treatment services could form a solution here, but private internet access is an issue. Also, translating face-to-face programs into online formats requires great care and fresh validation; online versions might well be less effective (Boekhorst et al, 2021). Providing online services, especially unguided, might not be the best solution, even though easy and cheap.…”