Mindfulness and Parenting: A Meta-analysis and an Exploratory Meta-mediation

There has been increasing interest in recent years on the links between parents’ mindfulness and their parenting. The present meta-analysis systematically synthesized the research on the associations between mindfulness and mindful, positive, and negative parenting. The mediating role of mindful parenting in the indirect link between mindfulness and child outcomes was also explored using meta-structural equation modeling (meta-SEM).

A systematic search was conducted for relevant literature published up to August 2020 in five databases. A total of 30 studies were identified and data were extracted. Random-effects models were used to investigate the pooled correlations. Validity of pooled correlations was analyzed by examining outliers, publication bias with trim-and-fill analyses, between-study heterogeneity, and subgroup analyses.

Pooled correlations were significantly positive between mindfulness and both mindful parenting (r_p = .468) and positive parenting (r_p = .237), and significantly negative for negative parenting (r_p =  − .167). Exploratory meta-SEM results indicated positive, moderate effects between mindfulness and mindful parenting, and negative, small effects between mindfulness and children’s internalizing and externalizing difficulties. However, mindful parenting did not significantly mediate the link between mindfulness and children’s difficulties.

Given the increasing attention on mindfulness in family settings, we discuss the results in relation to existing models of mindful parenting. Directions for future research are presented, including the use of observational or child-reported parenting measures and father samples.

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