Randomized Controlled Trial of Parent and Child Mindfulness Training (MYmind) versus Medication
Brett Kosterman Zoller, Susan M. Bögels, Renée Meppelink, E. D. de Bruin
Journal of Child and Family Studies September 13, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s10826-025-03139-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Preregistered Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 99 |
| Population | Parents (70 mothers and 29 fathers) of children with ADHD |
| Intervention | Methylphenidate |
| Duration | 8 weekly 1.5-hour sessions plus a booster 2 months later; medication treatment 4 months; follow-ups at 2, 4, and 10 months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Parents in the family mindfulness group showed greater improvements than those in the medication group across several domains: mothers improved more on overreactive parenting, self-compassion, and sleep quality, while fathers improved more on parental stress, mindful parenting, self-compassion, internalizing symptoms, and attention problems. The authors argue that parents of children with ADHD fare better when they take part in a family mindfulness-based program than when only the child is treated with medication. |
Abstract
This pre-registered ‘ADHD: Medication or Meditation’ trial presents the effects on parental outcomes comparing a mindfulness-based intervention (MYmind) for both parents and children with medication (methylphenidate) for children’s ADHD. Additionally, we examined correlations between meditation practice and outcomes in the mindfulness group. Parental scores were compared across treatments at four time points (pre-test, 2-, 4- and 10-months follow-ups). MYmind consisted of 8 weekly group-based 1,5 h mindfulness sessions for children and parallel mindful parenting for their parents, and a booster 2 months later. Medication treatment consisted of 4 months short-acting methylphenidate. Parents (70 mothers and 29 fathers) filled out self-reports on four domains: Parental stress (general stress, parenting stress and competence, parenting discipline styles), mindfulness (general mindfulness, mindful parenting, self-compassion), parental ADHD (hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention), and parental well-being (overall well-being, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, attention problems, sleep). Regression analyses of significant interaction effects for time and condition showed that mothers in the mindfulness group improved more than mothers in the medication group on levels of overreactive parenting, self-compassion and quality of sleep. Fathers in the mindfulness group had larger improvements over fathers in the medication group on parental stress, mindful parenting, self-compassion, internalizing and attention problems. Positive relations were found for mothers only between amount of meditation practice and general mindfulness, parental stress, internalizing symptoms and sleep. All improvements between groups favored the family mindfulness intervention over medication. Our findings suggest that parents fair far better when families of children with ADHD take part in a mindfulness-based program compared to treating only the child with medication. Overall, parents of children with ADHD do far better when they take part in a family mindfulness-based program compared to treating only the child with medication; Mothers in the mindfulness group showed larger improvements than mothers in the medication group on overreactive parenting, self-compassion and quality of sleep; Fathers in the mindfulness group showed larger improvements than fathers in the medication group on parental stress, mindful parenting, self-compassion, internalizing and attention problems. Overall, parents of children with ADHD do far better when they take part in a family mindfulness-based program compared to treating only the child with medication; Mothers in the mindfulness group showed larger improvements than mothers in the medication group on overreactive parenting, self-compassion and quality of sleep; Fathers in the mindfulness group showed larger improvements than fathers in the medication group on parental stress, mindful parenting, self-compassion, internalizing and attention problems.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- A Critical Review and 10-Year Update on Prospects for a Clinical Science of Mindfulness-Based Intervention Mindfulness July 7, 2026
- The effects of an online mindfulness-based intervention for parents of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders October 20, 2026
- Cost-Effectiveness of a Child and Parent Mindfulness-Based Training Versus Medication for Childhood ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders August 24, 2026
- Mechanisms of Change in Mindfulness-Based Family Intervention (MYmind) Versus Methylphenidate for Childhood ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial Children March 23, 2026
Cites 22
- A Model of Mindful Parenting: Implications for Parent–Child Relationships and Prevention Research Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review May 2, 2009
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences December 21, 2018
- The mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy adherence scale: inter‐rater reliability, adherence to protocol and treatment distinctiveness Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy March 1, 2002
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Delays: Implications for Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior Problems Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities July 1, 2013
and 17 more in the library