Objectives

Parental mindfulness predicts more positive and supportive parent-child interactions. However, very few studies have tested this association using independent observations of interactions or considered a link with child outcomes. The aims of the current study were to understand (1) how parental mindfulness relates to independent observation of parent-child conflict resolution discussions and (2) how parental mindfulness and conflict resolution relate to children’s symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Methods

Fifty-seven parents and their 8–12-year-old children were recruited from both clinical and community settings. Dyads engaged in a conflict discussion task from which content and resolution quality were coded. Parents self-reported on their dispositional mindfulness, and children self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Results

Parents who rated themselves as higher in the acting with awareness facet of dispositional mindfulness were more likely to refer to their child’s positive emotions, make more positive (e.g. “you were great”) and less negative (e.g., “it was awful”) evaluations, and made fewer oppositional statements when resolving conflict. Parents who rated themselves as higher in the non-judging facet of mindfulness used more validation during conflict discussions. Mediation bootstrapping models showed support for an indirect path of acting with awareness and observing mindfulness relating to children’s symptoms of anxiety and depression, through positive evaluations. There was also support for an indirect path of observing and describing mindfulness relating to internalizing symptoms through reduced use of oppositional strategies.

Conclusions

Parent dispositional mindfulness was associated with more positive and supportive conflict resolution discussions. The current findings also provide preliminary support for conflict resolution mediating a relationship between parent dispositional mindfulness and child symptoms of anxiety and depression.

中文翻译：

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父母的性格正念、儿童冲突讨论和童年内化困难：一项初步研究

目标

父母的正念预示着更积极和支持性的亲子互动。然而，很少有研究使用对相互作用的独立观察来测试这种关联，或考虑与儿童结果的联系。本研究的目的是了解 (1) 父母正念与独立观察亲子冲突解决讨论的关系，以及 (2) 父母正念和冲突解决与儿童焦虑和抑郁症状的关系。

方法

从临床和社区环境中招募了 57 名父母和他们 8-12 岁的孩子。Dyads 参与了一项冲突讨论任务，其中内容和解决质量被编码。父母自我报告了他们的性格正念，孩子们自我报告了焦虑和抑郁的症状。

结果

在性格正念的意识方面对自己的行为评价较高的父母更有可能提到他们孩子的积极情绪，做出更积极的（例如“你很棒”）和较少的消极（例如，“这很糟糕”）评价，并在解决冲突时少发表反对意见。在正念的非判断方面评价自己较高的父母在冲突讨论中使用了更多的验证。中介引导模型表明，通过积极的评估，支持通过意识和观察与儿童焦虑和抑郁症状相关的正念来采取行动的间接途径。也有人支持通过减少使用对立策略来观察和描述与内化症状相关的正念的间接途径。

结论

父母性格正念与更积极和支持性的冲突解决讨论有关。目前的研究结果还为调解父母性格正念与儿童焦虑和抑郁症状之间的关系的冲突解决提供了初步支持。