"Nurturing parents" – mindfulness-based parent well-being group in pediatric cystic fibrosis

Objectives: Parents of a child with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. We examine the feasibility and acceptability of nurturing parents (NP) mindfulness-based parent well-being group in CF using a mixed methods design. NP is an 8 week group designed to help parents cultivate (a) resilience to stress, (b) kindness toward themselves, and (c) awareness of self when communicating. Method: Mothers (N = 12) rated individual and group goals and completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, interpersonal mindfulness in parenting, anxiety, depression, and parenting stress, pre-NP and post-NP. Qualitative data from semistructured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants who completed the NP group (n = 9; 75%) reported improvements post-NP in dispositional and interpersonal mindfulness and in at least one group goal. Clinically significant improvements were found for mothers reporting pre-NP anxiety (n = 2) or depression (n = 2) in the clinical range. Qualitative themes included: (a) gaining self-awareness and choice, (b) connection to others not defined by CF, and (c) validating self-care. Conclusions: Mothers reported psychological benefits of NP group and preferences that may promote retention. Findings may inform clinical practice. A future pilot trial of efficacy in CF may be feasible.