Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Parenting Programs in Reducing Parenting Stress in Parents of Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based parenting programs in reducing parenting stress in parents of children and adolescents with ADHD. Materials and Methods: Studies published in English or Thai before February 2020 were identified through the PubMed, Embase, and Thai-Journal Citation Index databases. Studies were included if they used mindfulness-based parenting interventions for parents of children and adolescents with ADHD, and parenting stress was measured. The risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool for randomized trials, and with the ROBIN-I tool for non-randomized studies. Results: Six studies were included. The 2 randomized controlled trials reported significant reductions in parenting stress in the intervention groups compared with the control groups at post-test, and this effect was maintained at the 8-week follow-up of one of the studies. However, the 4 pre-experimental studies reported conflicting results. Two reported significant reductions in parenting stress from preto post-intervention, with one of those studies reporting a further reduction in parental stress at the 6-week follow-up. In contrast, another study reported a significant reduction in parental stress from preto post-intervention for fathers but not mothers; this effect was maintained at the 8-week follow-up. The fourth study reported no significant changes in parental stress from preto post-intervention. A meta-analysis of 3 studies demonstrated no significant changes in parenting stress from preto post-intervention. Conclusion: The effectiveness of mindfulness-based parenting programs in reducing parenting stress in parents of children and adolescents with ADHD is still inconclusive, although promising. Further studies are needed.