Mindfulness- What is it and what is
the research basis for it?
Tara M. Chaplin, Ph.D. & Caitlin Turpyn, B.A. Department of Psychology
Who Are We?
I am a professor of Psychology at George Mason University and Caitlin is my collaborator there. Our team does research on parent-teen relationships,
emotion regulation, and teen risk behaviors
We are currently developing and testing a mindfulness program for parents of teenagers
Study team:
-Tara Chaplin, Ph.D. -Sarah Fischer, Ph.D. -Caitlin Turpyn, B.A. -Ali Martelli, B.A.
How Did We Start Studying
Parenting Stress and
Today
1. Overview of Mindfulness
2. Research Basis for Mindfulness
Programs
3. Our Parenting Mindfully
Program
4. Tips for Using Mindfulness
with Your Teens
Mindfulness: What Is It?
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing full
attention on the present moment intentionally and
without judgment (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
Mindfulness: What Is It?
The practice of mindfulness may reduce feelings
of distress by increasing one’s awareness of and
ability to tolerate thoughts and emotions.
Mindfulness may help individuals decrease
over-reactivity to events and increase responding to
events in ways that one consciously chooses.
Mindfulness Programs
Mindfulness-based programs (such as
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction- MBSR)
teach mindfulness through meditation, yoga,
present-minded awareness in everyday life, and
discussions of mindfulness applications to stress,
coping, and relationships.
Mindfulness Programs
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) find that
mindfulness programs such as MBSR are effective
in reducing stress-related symptoms, such as:
Stress Reactivity Psoriasis Anxiety Relapse to depression Substance use Chronic pain
(Bowen & Marlatt, 2009; Hayes et al., 2006; Kabat-Zinn et al., 1998; Roemer et al., 2009; Teasdale et al., 2000)
Mindfulness Programs
So, I thought to myself:
Mindfulness programs reduce stress.
And, parenting is known to be stressful (Dix, 1991; Dumas, 2005)…
Mindfulness Programs
Mindfulness programs for parents could reduce
parent stress and improve the parent-child
relationship, which may prevent problem
behaviors in youth.
Mindfulness Programs
But, not much research on mindfulness for
parents
Only one RCT:
Coastworth, D. J., Duncan, L. G., Greenberg, M. T., & Nix, R. L. (2010). Changing parent’s mindfulness, child management skills and relationship quality with their youth: Results from a randomized pilot intervention trial. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 19, 203-217.
*They found promising effects of mindfulness for
parents on parenting and parent-teen relationships.
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
We developed a mindfulness program for
parents of teens- the Parenting Mindfully
Program
Parenting Mindfully Program helps parents to:
Reduce reactivity and follow intentional parenting goals Be more ‘present’ in interactions with youth
Show acceptance of child and of self as a parent Feel compassion toward child and self
(Duncan et al., 2009)
Our Program: Parenting
Parenting Mindfully Program helps parents to:
Reduce reactivity and follow intentional parenting
goals
EX: You have a fight with your daughter and she yells, “I hate you” and storms off.
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Parenting Mindfully Program helps parents to:
Be more “present” in interactions with youth
EX: As you shuttle your teen around from one sport team practice to another, you wish you had a moment to just connect with them.
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Parenting Mindfully Program helps parents to:
Show acceptance of child and for self as parent
-This does not mean to have no rules or standards for your child…Instead, acceptance in mindful parenting involves the nonjudgmental acceptance of your child’s traits, characteristics and experiences with your child happening in the present moment.
EX: Your child may have trouble with learning, but it’s hard to accept that he has weaknesses.
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Parenting Mindfully Program helps parents to:
Feel compassion toward child and self
EX: You keep worrying about something that you “did wrong” as a parent.
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
What does Parenting Mindfully Program Involve?
8 2-hour group sessions
Plus regular meditation practice
What do we do in sessions?
Meditation practice, yoga
Activities to increase mindful awareness
Discussion of mindfulness, esp in context of parenting
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Session Sample Activity
1 ‐ The “Raisin Exercise”/Automatic Pilot
2 ‐ Parenting: Thinking and Feeling Exercise
3 ‐ Full Attention Listening
4 ‐ Judgments and Parenting Exercise
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
Session Sample Activity
5 ‐ Acceptance and Parenting Exercise
6 ‐ Mindful Conversation with Child
7 ‐ Discussion of Wise Parenting Mind/Values
3 Minute Breathing Space Demonstration
Our Program: Parenting
Mindfully Program
1. Teens can do mindfulness activities, too- including
meditations!
-Just use shorter meditations & relate them to stressors that are relevant to teens (e.g., self-image, school
transitions, peer relations)
2. Recent research on mindfulness programs for teens
finds positive effects on reducing anxiety and
depression (Biegel et al., 2009)
What You Can Take Home for
Your Teen
Things you can try at home with your teen:
1. Do the 3 minute breathing space with your teen 2. Try 20 minute interaction with your teen- paying attention to teen non-judgementally in the moment. 3. Remind yourself and teen….
What You Can Take Home for
Your Teen
(Coatsworth et al., 2010)
What You Can Take Home for
Thank You
Our Sponsor: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Our Study Team: Sarah Fischer, Caitlin Turpyn, and Ali Martelli, GMU
Collaborators: Rajita Sinha & Keri Tuit, Yale University School of Medicine; Ruth Baer, University of Kentucky Our Participating Families
Mindfulness Readings:
-Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting.
Kabat-Zinn & Kabat-Zinn (1998)
-The stress reduction workbook for teens: Mindfulness skills to help you deal with stress. New Harbinger Publications. Biegel, G. M. (2010).
To Be Part of Our Parenting Mindfully Study:
Call Ali at 703-993-5066; [email protected]
For more information on our research: [email protected] For Further Help:
GMU Center for Psychological Services: 703-993-1370 http://psycclinic.gmu.edu/index.htm
