The effects of an online mindfulness-based intervention for parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been identified as a complementary treatment for children with ADHD. While there is a growing interest in developing MBIs in online formats, its application in parents is largely based on healthy populations. A two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) was designed to investigate the effectiveness of an online MBI (arm 1) compared with an online psychoeducation (PSY) program (arm 2). Outcomes were measured before the intervention, after the intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. A total of 248 parents whose children with ADHD symptoms aged 6 to 12 years old participated in the study, with 131 parents assigned to the online MBI group and 117 to the PSY group. Both groups indicated significant and lasting improvements in their children's ADHD symptoms, executive functioning, and parental well-being. In addition, parental stress levels and two dimensions of expressed emotion, including critical comments and initial statements, decreased significantly in both groups. Notably, a specific benefit of the online MBI was identified for insomnia. A small-magnitude improvement in parent-child relationship quality, as a dimension of expressed emotion, was observed in the repeated measures ANOVA but was not consistently supported by the sensitivity analysis. Future studies should verify the specific and sustainable treatment effects of MBIs, strengthening parental engagement and support.