A mindfulness parent well-being course: evaluation of outcomes for parents of children with autism and related disabilities recruited through special schools

AbstractParents of children with intellectual disabilities and/or autism have been shown to experience higher levels of distress than other parents. Despite such data having been available for several decades, the evidence base for psychological interventions to support parental well-being is small. Recent data suggest that both mindfulness and acceptance processes are associated with decreased psychological distress for parents of children with intellectual disability and/or autism. In addition, some controlled evaluations of mindfulness-based interventions for these parents have resulted in positive outcomes for mothers in particular. In the present study 18 mothers and 3 fathers were recruited via special schools who then attended a Mindfulness Based Well-Being for Parents (MBW-P) group over eight weeks. Parents completed questionnaire measures before and at the end of the course. Statistical analysis showed significant reported increases in mindfulness and self-compassion, and reduced general stress. ...