title: Conceptualizing the key processes of Mindful Parenting and its application to youth mental health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Youth mental health disorders are rising across the world. Mindful Parenting could be a potential tool to promote youth mental health. The primary distinction between Mindful Parenting programs and other behavioral parenting programs is the focus on emotional literacy and compassion. However, this emerging field has gaps in its theory and evidence. In order to objectively evaluate the impact of Mindful Parenting, it is important to identify how it promotes change. This theoretical paper aims to articulate the key change processes of Mindful Parenting that promote positive outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review was conducted to synthesize the change processes outlined by different authors in the field.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Key processes argued to promote Mindful Parenting were aligned with five main categories, namely attention, intention, attitude, attachment and emotion. More specifically the change processes were listening, emotional awareness, emotional regulation, attentional regulation, attunement, attention to variability, intentionality, reperceiving, compassion and non-judgmental acceptance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary analysis attempted to understand how Mindful Parenting fosters change and transformation. Whilst there are numerous change processes, the essence of Mindful Parenting appears to be the ability to be responsive to a child's needs.
authors.affiliation: Research Fellow, PhD Candidate, Joanna Briggs Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, and; Cairns Institute, Faculty of Arts, Education and Social Sciences, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD, Australia kishani.townshend@adelaide.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kishani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Townshend
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health; D017668:Age of Onset; D001288:Attention; D001290:Attitude; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008603:Mental Health; D064866:Mindfulness; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: interpersonal communication; mindfulness; mindfulness-based cognitive therapy; parenting