ABSTRACT

Introduction

Children with developmental delays (DD), particularly autism spectrum disorders (ASD), are at high risk for increased levels of behavior problems and developing internalizing problems. While previous literature has highlighted the impact of parental stress on the development of behavioral problems broadly in children with DD, research on the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with ASD is scarce. Growing evidence has supported Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an effective intervention for reducing stress among parents of children with DD. These reductions in parent stress are also associated with subsequent reductions in their children’s behavior problem; however, to our knowledge, the effects of MBSR and reductions in parent stress on internalizing problems in children with DD have not been examined.

Method

The current study utilized data from Mindful Awareness for Parenting Stress (MAPS) which consisted of families of 80 preschool children with developmental delays (DD) whose parents reported high levels of stress. Specifically, we investigated whether decreases in parenting stress as a result of engagement in a MBSR intervention would lead to reductions in internalizing behavior problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status. Additionally, we examined whether individual increases in the mindful facets of acting with awareness and nonjudgment, from pre- to post- treatment, would lead to reductions in internalizing problems among children with DD, and whether this relation was moderated by the child’s ASD status.

Results

Children of parents in the MBSR treatment group had greater reductions in internalizing problems compared to children whose parents were in the waitlist-control group, b= −5.71, p <.05. We also found that children of parents who reported greater increases in acting with awareness post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −2.57, p<.05. Additionally, children whose parents had greater increases in nonjudgment post-treatment had a greater reduction in internalizing problems, b= −1.85, p<.05. However, ASD status was not a significant moderator in either analysis, ps >.05.

Conclusions

These findings have important implications regarding the relation between parenting stress and internalizing problems in children with DD. This treatment offers a novel approach to treating comorbid internalizing problems in children with DD. Parents’ use of MBSR provides a method of early intervention, which may ameliorate the development of internalizing problems over time. The current study helps to inform future parenting interventions by highlighting the importance of addressing specific facets of mindfulness in interventions which may lead to greater reductions in internalizing problems in vulnerable populations such as children with DD Figure 1.

中文翻译：

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MBSR父母干预对儿童内在化问题的影响：ASD作为主持人的地位

摘要

介绍

发育迟缓（DD）的儿童，尤其是自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童，行为问题和发展内在化问题的风险较高。尽管先前的文献已经广泛地强调了父母压力对DD儿童行为问题发展的影响，但对于ASD儿童的父母压力与内在问题之间关系的研究却很少。越来越多的证据支持基于正念减压（MBSR）作为减少DD儿童父母间压力的有效干预措施。父母压力的减轻也与孩子的行为问题的减轻有关。但是据我们所知，

方法

当前的研究利用了针对父母压力的正念意识（MAPS）的数据，该数据由80个发育迟缓学龄前儿童（DD）的家庭组成，他们的父母报告了很高的压力水平。具体而言，我们调查了因参与MBSR干预而导致的父母压力的降低是否会导致DD儿童内在化行为问题的减少，以及这种关系是否受到儿童ASD状况的缓解。此外，我们研究了从治疗前到治疗后，个人在意识和行为方面的认知方面的个体增加是否会导致DD儿童内在化问题的减少，以及这种关系是否通过儿童的ASD状况得到缓解。

结果

与父母在候补对照组中的孩子相比，MBSR治疗组的父母的孩子在内部化问题上的减少更大，b = −5.71，p <.05。我们还发现，父母的孩子在治疗后表现出更多的行为意识提高，内在化问题的减少更大，b = -2.57，p <.05。另外，父母在治疗后未判决方面增加更多的孩子，内在化问题的减少也更大，b = −1.85，p <.05。但是，在任一分析中，ASD状态都不是重要的调节因素，ps > .05。

结论

这些发现对DD儿童的父母压力和内在问题之间的关系具有重要意义。这种治疗提供了一种新颖的方法来治疗DD儿童的合并症内在化问题。父母对MBSR的使用提供了一种早期干预的方法，该方法可以缓解随着时间的推移内部化问题的发展。当前的研究通过强调应对干预中正念的具体方面的重要性，有助于为未来的育儿干预提供信息，这可能会导致更大程度地减少诸如DD儿童之类的脆弱人群的内在化问题。