A Lived Experience of Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP). A Phenomenological Study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Parenting Studies

Background:

• Parental mentalizing, understanding mental states, is vital for positive child development.
• Existing interventions lack focus on enhancing parental mentalizing skills.
• New tools are needed to support parents in developing these crucial abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and qualitatively evaluate the Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP).
• To explore parents' lived experiences with the MBMP intervention.
• To assess the potential of MBMP in enhancing parental mentalizing.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive phenomenological analysis was employed.
• Six parents of young children participated in semi-structured interviews.
• Data were analyzed to identify key themes in parents' experiences with MBMP.

Main Results:

• Parents reported four key experiential areas: 'Mind Check,' 'Power of Positivity,' 'Living Through Difficulties,' and 'Telling and Retelling.'
• These themes reflect enhanced self-awareness and reflective capacity regarding their child.
• The MBMP program appears to stimulate critical reflective processes.

Conclusions:

• The MBMP program shows promise as a tool for enhancing parental mentalizing.
• Qualitative findings suggest MBMP facilitates deeper understanding of child's and parent's mental states.
• Further research is warranted to validate MBMP's efficacy in improving parenting and child outcomes.