ReviewIntegrative Review of the Relationship Between Mindfulness-Based Parenting Interventions and Depression Symptoms in Parents
Section snippets
Data Sources
The process outlined by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was used to answer the research questions and organize the results. Published research studies in which researchers addressed MBP interventions and symptoms of depression in parents were identified, and their findings were synthesized according to their respective research designs. The terms mindfulness, parent or mother, and depression were used to search PubMed, the Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus,
Description of Published Studies
The publication dates of the seven studies ranged from 2008 to 2016; the three RCTs were published since 2012. The studies varied in terms of sample composition, frequency and duration of application of MBP intervention, and measures of mindfulness and symptoms of depression. Six of the studies were completed in the United States (Benn et al., 2012, Dykens et al., 2014, Neece, 2014, Parent et al., 2011) and the United Kingdom (Jones et al., 2014, Lloyd and Hastings, 2008), and one study was
Discussion
Results of this integrative review included the significant positive treatment effects of MBP interventions on symptoms of depression among parents in the three RCTs. Significant associations between increased mindfulness and decreased symptoms of depression were also present in the four cross-sectional descriptive studies. Most notably, depression scores were lower in parents who had greater mindfulness scores. Parents who suffered from symptoms of depression found relief in the cultivation of
Acknowledgment
The author acknowledges Dr. Rebecca Kronk and Dr. Joan Lockhart, Duquesne University, for their guidance in preparing this article.
Karen Alexander, MSN, RN, is an instructor in the College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.
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Karen Alexander, MSN, RN, is an instructor in the College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA.
The author reports no conflict of interest or relevant financial relationships.