Hadley A. McGregor, Catherine M. Sanner, Cameron L. Neece
{"title":"Effects of MBSR Parent Intervention on Internalizing Problems in Children: ASD Status as a Moderator","authors":"Hadley A. McGregor, Catherine M. Sanner, Cameron L. Neece","doi":"10.1080/19315864.2020.1815913","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Introduction Children with developmental delays (DD), particularly autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are at high risk for increased levels of behavior problems and developing internalizing problems. While previous literature has highlighted the impact of parental stress on the development of behavioral problems broadly in children with DD, research on the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with ASD is scarce. Growing evidence has supported Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an effective intervention for reducing stress among parents of children with DD. These reductions in parent stress are also associated with subsequent reductions in their children’s behavior problem; however, to our knowledge, the effects of MBSR and reductions in parent stress on internalizing problems in children with DD have not been examined. Method The current study utilized data from Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) which consisted of families of 80 preschool children with developmental delays (DD) whose parents reported high levels of stress. Specifically, we investigated whether decreases in parenting stress as a result of engagement in a MBSR intervention would lead to reductions in internalizing behavior problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status. Additionally, we examined whether individual increases in the mindful facets of acting with awareness and nonjudgment, from pre- to post- treatment, would lead to reductions in internalizing problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status. Results Children of parents in the MBSR treatment group had greater reductions in internalizing problems compared to children whose parents were in the waitlist-control group, b= −5.71, p <.05. We also found that children of parents who reported greater increases in acting with awareness post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −2.57, p<.05. Additionally, children whose parents had greater increases in nonjudgment post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −1.85, p<.05. However, ASD status was not a significant moderator in either analysis, ps >.05. Conclusions These findings have important implications regarding the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with DD. This treatment offers a novel approach to treating comorbid internalizing problems in children with DD. Parents’ use of MBSR provides a method of early intervention, which may ameliorate the development of internalizing problems over time. The current study helps to inform future parenting interventions by highlighting the importance of addressing specific facets of mindfulness in interventions which may lead to greater reductions in internalizing problems in vulnerable populations such as children with DD Figure 1.","PeriodicalId":45864,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities","volume":"80 1","pages":"343 - 363"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2020-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2020.1815913","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"EDUCATION, SPECIAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction Children with developmental delays (DD), particularly autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are at high risk for increased levels of behavior problems and developing internalizing problems. While previous literature has highlighted the impact of parental stress on the development of behavioral problems broadly in children with DD, research on the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with ASD is scarce. Growing evidence has supported Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an effective intervention for reducing stress among parents of children with DD. These reductions in parent stress are also associated with subsequent reductions in their children’s behavior problem; however, to our knowledge, the effects of MBSR and reductions in parent stress on internalizing problems in children with DD have not been examined. Method The current study utilized data from Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) which consisted of families of 80 preschool children with developmental delays (DD) whose parents reported high levels of stress. Specifically, we investigated whether decreases in parenting stress as a result of engagement in a MBSR intervention would lead to reductions in internalizing behavior problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status. Additionally, we examined whether individual increases in the mindful facets of acting with awareness and nonjudgment, from pre- to post- treatment, would lead to reductions in internalizing problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status. Results Children of parents in the MBSR treatment group had greater reductions in internalizing problems compared to children whose parents were in the waitlist-control group, b= −5.71, p <.05. We also found that children of parents who reported greater increases in acting with awareness post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −2.57, p<.05. Additionally, children whose parents had greater increases in nonjudgment post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −1.85, p<.05. However, ASD status was not a significant moderator in either analysis, ps >.05. Conclusions These findings have important implications regarding the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with DD. This treatment offers a novel approach to treating comorbid internalizing problems in children with DD. Parents’ use of MBSR provides a method of early intervention, which may ameliorate the development of internalizing problems over time. The current study helps to inform future parenting interventions by highlighting the importance of addressing specific facets of mindfulness in interventions which may lead to greater reductions in internalizing problems in vulnerable populations such as children with DD Figure 1.
发育迟缓(DD)儿童,特别是自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)儿童,其行为问题和内化问题的发生率较高。虽然以前的文献已经广泛地强调了父母压力对DD儿童行为问题发展的影响,但关于父母压力与ASD儿童内化问题之间关系的研究却很少。越来越多的证据支持正念减压(MBSR)是一种有效的干预措施,可以减轻患有DD的孩子的父母的压力。父母压力的减少也与孩子行为问题的减少有关。然而,据我们所知,正念减压和减少父母压力对DD儿童内化问题的影响尚未得到检验。方法本研究利用父母压力意识(MAPS)的数据,该数据由80名父母报告高压力水平的发育迟缓(DD)学龄前儿童的家庭组成。具体来说,我们调查了参与正念减压干预是否会减少育儿压力,从而减少DD儿童的内化行为问题,以及这种关系是否会被儿童的ASD状态所调节。此外,我们研究了从治疗前到治疗后,个体在有意识和不判断行为的注意方面的增加是否会导致DD儿童内化问题的减少,以及这种关系是否会被儿童的ASD状态所调节。结果父母在正念减压治疗组的孩子比父母在等候名单对照组的孩子有更大的内在问题减少,b= - 5.71, p .05。结论本研究结果对父母压力与DD患儿内化问题之间的关系具有重要意义,为治疗DD患儿共病内化问题提供了一种新的方法。父母使用正念减压疗法提供了一种早期干预的方法,可能随着时间的推移改善内化问题的发展。目前的研究通过强调在干预中解决正念特定方面的重要性,有助于为未来的育儿干预提供信息,这可能会导致更大程度上减少弱势群体(如DD儿童)的内化问题(图1)。