title: Mindfulness training effects for parents and educators of children with special needs.
abstract: Parents and teachers of children with special needs face unique social-emotional challenges in carrying out their caregiving roles. Stress associated with these roles impacts parents' and special educators' health and well-being, as well as the quality of their parenting and teaching. No rigorous studies have assessed whether mindfulness training (MT) might be an effective strategy to reduce stress and cultivate well-being and positive caregiving in these adults. This randomized controlled study assessed the efficacy of a 5-week MT program for parents and educators of children with special needs. Participants receiving MT showed significant reductions in stress and anxiety and increased mindfulness, self-compassion, and personal growth at program completion and at 2 months follow-up in contrast to waiting-list controls. Relational competence also showed significant positive changes, with medium-to-large effect sizes noted on measures of empathic concern and forgiveness. MT significantly influenced caregiving competence specific to teaching. Mindfulness changes at program completion mediated outcomes at follow-up, suggesting its importance in maintaining emotional balance and facilitating well-being in parents and teachers of children with developmental challenges.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, USA. ritabenn@umich.edu
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benn
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akiva
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arel
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Roeser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D032763:Behavior Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation