title: MYmind: Mindfulness training for Youngsters with autism spectrum disorders and their parents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the dramatic increase in autism spectrum disorder in youth and the extremely high costs, hardly any evidence-based interventions are available. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of mindfulness training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, combined with Mindful Parenting training.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 23 adolescents with autism spectrum disorder, referred to a mental health clinic, received nine weekly sessions of mindfulness training in group format. Their parents (18 mothers, 11 fathers) participated in parallel Mindful Parenting training. A pre-test, post-test, and 9-week follow-up design was used. Data were analyzed using multi-level analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Attendance rate was 88% for adolescents and fathers and 86% for mothers. Adolescents reported an increase in quality of life and a decrease in rumination, but no changes in worry, autism spectrum disorder core symptoms, or mindful awareness. Although parents reported no change in adolescent's autism spectrum disorder core symptoms, they reported improved social responsiveness, social communication, social cognition, preoccupations, and social motivation. About themselves, parents reported improvement in general as well as in parental mindfulness. They reported improved competence in parenting, overall parenting styles, more specifically a less lax, verbose parenting style, and an increased quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mindfulness training for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder combined with Mindful Parenting is feasible. Although the sample size was small and no control group was included, the first outcomes of this innovative training are positive.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Research Priority Area Yield, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands e.i.debruin@uva.nl.
authors.forename: Esther I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: de Bruin
authors.affiliation: Karakter, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Research Priority Area Yield, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Franka Ma
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Research Priority Area Yield, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands UvA minds, academic outpatient child and adolescent treatment center of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Francisca Ja
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: van Steensel
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands Research Priority Area Yield, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands UvA minds, academic outpatient child and adolescent treatment center of the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Bögels
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000379:methods*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autism spectrum disorders; interventions; psychosocial/behavioral