Mindfulness-based Well-being for Parents MBW-P - Supporting - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Mindfulness-based Well-being for Parents MBW-P

• Supporting parents to improve

parent-child relationships

Mindfulness

Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way;

• on purpose,
• in the present moment,
• and non-judgementally

Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living 1990

Standard Mindfulness training

• 8 x 2 or 2.5 weekly sessions
• Group - often mixed clients - up to 24 in a group
• Commitment to 45 mins. of home practice a day
• Handbook consists of written background material - e.g. poems,

theoretical concepts

• Bringing greater awareness may make things feel worse

temporarily

• Evidence for efficacy for a wide range of clinical and sub-clinical

conditions - particularly chronic stress

Potential benefits of Mindful Parenting

• Reduces Stress
• Improves executive function
• Decreases the cycle of intergenerational habits
• Develops self nourishing and compassion
• Improves relationships
• Is Likely to have an impact on attachment behaviours Bogels,

(2010); Siegel, (2003)

• Teaching mindfulness to parents has an effect on the

behaviour of the child (Singh)

Overlap among secure attachment and mindful awareness

1.Bodily regulation 2.Attuned communication 3.Emotional balance 4.Response flexibility 5.Empathy 6.Insight (self knowing awareness) 7.Fear Modulation

Siegel 2007

Feasibility and acceptability

• Issue of feasibility and acceptability for any parents but

especially for those dealing with multiple stressors.

• May feel counter-cultural
• On-going support – especially if difficulties feel exacerbated
• How to adapt the programme without losing it’s potency.
• Important to have mindfulness skills as well as

skills/knowledge of the client group.

• More funding needed in order to collect evidence of the

efficacy of the programme

Community-based and integrated

• Developed a relevant and accessible approach; cultural and language

issues

• Informed participants and encouraged ‘opt in’ (also allowed opt out)
• Integrated between session support from the HV team
• Integrated mindfulness into the existing programme activities
• Undertook Staff Training and information sessions
• Adapted the programme
• Reduced written materials and participants create their own handbooks
• Home practices were shorter
• More emphasis on ‘informal’ practice
• Explained more ‘upfront’ to increase motivation
• Included teaching on affect / emotion regulation and integrated that with attachment

theory

Observations - What they said

From parents

• I’m noticing more -
• I’m using breathing space to help in managing children -

making a noticeable difference in children’s behaviour

• I have shared with families & friends
• I can talk better with my partner about how I’m feeling
• It has built my confidence and helped me with coping
• I now enjoy the walk to school and don’t worry so much

about getting there quickly

• Taking time at meal times has changed the families

eating habits

• Managed a difficult case conference better

Spin offs

• Further ways to integrate mindfulness, e.g. Mindful baby

massage

• Interest shown within larger staff group within the NHS -

e.g. other Health visitors/Nurses/Managers

• Genesis – skills for return to work programme
• Spreading out geographically – offering the programme

from other centres

• Other community organisations are interested. E.g.

Women's Aid Centre, Communities First

• Interest in using MBW-P as a pre course for other

parenting programmes such as Incredible Years.

Summary of key findings

• The approach can be delivered in an acceptable way.
• Early results indicate that the programme seems to lead to an

increase in well-being in multiply stressed mothers.

• The programme needs to be delivered in a flexible way
• Staff development is an important ingredient
• This project has initiated interest in other community groups

and there is potential to develop more

• The MBW-P programme has been further developed to

extend to other groups of parents’

• Parents of children with intellectual disability PhD

student Leah Jones (current research)

• MBW-P for foster parents started Jan 2013 Dusana

Dorjee & Eluned Gold

• Community programme continues and data is being

collected - Sophie Pratt - BCHB