Evaluating the effectiveness of mindful parenting on reducing the externalizing problems of male primary school students and their mothers' parenting behaviors

Previous studies have shown that family risk factors such as poor parenting, unstable, strict, inflexible and harsh discipline, and parental stress increase the risk of developing any of behavioral and emotional problems in children. Mindful parenting is based on the principles of mindfulness that have been developed in response to the shortcomings and criticism of behavioral parenting programs. Mindful parenting allows parents to understand their children without prejudice and to help parents be more responsive and less reactive in parenting. Therefore, the present research aimed to determine the effectiveness of mindful parenting on reducing the externalizing problems of male primary school students and their mothers' parenting behaviors in Iranian society.

This was quasi-experimental research with a pretest-posttest, follow-up and a control group design. The mindful parenting education program is considered as an independent variable and the externalizing problems of children and their mothers' parenting behaviors are considered as dependent variables. The research population included all mothers of male primary school students with externalizing problems in Karaj. The research sample consisted of 18 mothers of children with externalizing problems who met the inclusion criteria in research. Sampling was performed in two stages of available and purpose-based methods. The data were analyzed using repeated measures (mixed design) in SPSS software Version 20.

Data analysis showed that there was a significant decrease in the overall score of externalizing symptoms in the experimental group compared with the control group after the end of mindful parenting education sessions. The effect of the intervention was significantly kept after 2 months. Another finding of the research showed that there was a significant improvement in parenting behaviors and a reduction in negative behaviors in interaction with their children in the experimental group compared with the control group after the end of mindful parenting education sessions. The effect of the intervention was significantly kept after 2 months.

The results of the research support the effectiveness of mindful parenting education in reducing externalizing problems and improving parenting behaviors of mothers of male children with externalizing problems. Therefore, it is possible to use this method in Iranian samples