Mindful Parenting for Caregivers of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorder Diagnosis

Background/Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to examine the effect of an eight-session mindful parenting intervention on parents' mindfulness and parenting dimensions. Methods: The intervention was delivered to parents of children with Neurodevelopmental Disorder Diagnosis, followed in a child psychiatry hospital. The sample included 63 adults (40 females; mean age = 44 years). At the beginning and end of the intervention, participants completed questionnaires assessing positive and negative parenting and five mindfulness dimensions. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted to detect significant changes in the relevant measures from pre- to post-intervention. Results: Results revealed improvements in Negative Parenting (t = 2.82, p = 0.008, Hedges g = 0.29), Acting with Awareness (t = -2.14, p = 0.039, Hedges g = 0.26), Non-Judging (t = -2.17, p = 0.037, Hedges g = 0.35), and Non-Reacting (t = -2.68, p = 0.011, Hedges g = 0.52). Conclusions: Despite its preliminary results and single-group pre-post design, this pilot study aligns with evidence supporting mindful parenting interventions and provides initial insights into their impact on parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.