Mindfulness for Children With ADHD and Mindful Parenting (MindChamp): A Qualitative Study on Feasibility and Effects

Abstract

Objective: We describe qualitative results on facilitators and barriers to participating in a family mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) for youth with ADHD and their parents and perceived effects on child and parent. Method: Sixty-nine families started the 8-week protocolized group-based MBI called “MYmind.” After the MBI, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of parents ( n = 20), children ( n = 17, ages 9–16 years), and mindfulness teachers ( n = 3). Interviews were analyzed using Grounded Theory. Results: Facilitators and barriers regarding contextual factors (e.g., time investment), MBI characteristics (e.g., parallel parent–child training), and participant characteristics (e.g., ADHD-symptoms) are described. Perceived effects were heterogeneous: no/adverse effects, awareness/insight, acceptance, emotion regulation/reactivity, cognitive functioning, calmness/relaxation, relational changes, generalization. Conclusion: MYmind can lead to a variety of transferable positively perceived effects beyond child ADHD-symptom decrease. Recommendations on MYmind participant inclusion, program characteristics, mindfulness teachers, and evaluating treatment efficacy are provided.

A randomised controlled trial (MindChamp) of a mindfulness‐based intervention for children with ADHD and their parents

“…Short‐ and long‐term treatment effects in both youth (8–16 years) and parents were assessed. Further, because the effects of MBI can be heterogeneous, as shown in our qualitative study (Siebelink et al., 2020 ), we explored response to treatment on both individual and group levels. Our primary outcome was post‐treatment parent‐rated self‐control deficits of the child.…”

Co-designed Mindful Parenting for Parents of Children with ADHD: A Pilot and Feasibility Study

“…The study's focus on feasibility and acceptability is valuable, given the barriers raised by parents in previous MP studies (see [29,30]), and the need to maximise the translational outcomes of research. The mixed-methodology, utilising both qualitative and quantitative approaches, supported the consistency of the study findings [55].…”

Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Their Parents: A Randomized Control Trial

“…The improvements in some variables in our follow-up can be explained by the fact that not only the children, but also the parents were involved in the treatment and they were encouraged to continue the mindful practice. In fact, the parallel parent-child training design is one of the main perceived facilitators of participation in MYmind (Siebelink et al, 2020).…”

“…The perceived effects and mechanisms of action of MYmind have also been studied through qualitative analysis (Haydicky et al, 2017;Siebelink et al, 2020;Zhang et al, 2017). Although the results of all the previous MYmind studies are promising, the sample sizes are small (ranging from 10 to 18 participants), most of them focus on ages over 10 and their designs do not include control groups.…”