Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Highlights What are the main findings? Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) adapted with mindful parenting components produced substantial reductions in parental depression, anxiety, and stress, alongside increases in positive affect and life satisfaction at post-intervention and at one month follow-up compared with a waitlist control group. Parents who received MBCT reported parent perceived reductions in the severity of their children’s behavior problems at post-treatment and at one-month follow-up, despite children receiving no direct intervention. What are the implications of the main findings? Integrating MBCT with mindful parenting principles in both group and individual practice represents a feasible and acceptable family-centered approach for enhancing the mental health of parents raising a child with ASD and for supporting children’s behavioral adjustment. Early screening for parental depression, anxiety, and stress should be integrated into ASD services, to facilitate timely, practical, and cost-effective mental health interventions. Abstract Background/Objectives: Caring for a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is often associated with elevated psychological distress and reduced life satisfaction. Mindfulness-based interventions may offer substantial benefits by enhancing emotion regulation, reducing maladaptive cognitive patterns, and strengthening mindful parenting. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the effectiveness of an eight-week…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 30 participants or records.
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