Manual Development and Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Versus Usual Care for Parents with a History of Depression.
Joanna Mann, Willem Kuyken, Heather O'Mahen, Obioha C. Ukoumunne, Alison Evans, Tamsin Ford
Mindfulness 2016 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-016-0543-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial with qualitative interviews Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 38 |
| Population | Parents of children aged 2 to 6 years with a history of depression |
| Duration | 4- and 9-month follow-up post-randomisation |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Children’s behaviour Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Parenting Parents |
| Key findings | The authors report that MBCT-P was acceptable and feasible, with 78% attending at least half the sessions. In the pilot trial, depressive symptoms were lower in the MBCT-P arm at 9 months (adjusted mean difference -7.0) and more participants remained well (58% vs 32%). Mindfulness and self-compassion were higher with MBCT-P, while parental stress and children's behaviour showed no significant differences at 9 months, though children's behaviour problems were lower at 4 months. |
Abstract
Parental depression can adversely affect parenting and children's development. We adapted mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for parents (MBCT-P) with a history of depression and describe its development, feasibility, acceptability and preliminary estimates of efficacy. Manual development involved interviews with 12 parents who participated in MBCT groups or pilot MBCT-P groups. We subsequently randomised 38 parents of children aged between 2 and 6 years to MBCT-P plus usual care (n = 19) or usual care (n = 19). Parents were interviewed to assess the acceptability of MBCT-P. Preliminary estimates of efficacy in relation to parental depression and children's behaviour were calculated at 4 and 9 months post-randomisation. Levels of parental stress, mindfulness and self-compassion were measured. Interviews confirmed the acceptability of MBCT-P; 78 % attended at least half the sessions. In the pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT), at 9 months, depressive symptoms in the MBCT-P arm were lower than in the usual care arm (adjusted mean difference = -7.0; 95 % confidence interval (CI) = -12.8 to -1.1; p = 0.02) and 11 participants (58 %) in the MBCT-P arm remained well compared to 6 (32 %) in the usual care arm (mean difference = 26 %; 95 % CI = -4 to 57 %; p = 0.02). Levels of mindfulness (p = 0.01) and self-compassion (p = 0.005) were higher in the MBCT-P arm, with no significant differences in parental stress (p = 0.2) or children's behaviour (p = 0.2). Children's behaviour problems were significantly lower in the MBCT-P arm at 4 months (p = 0.03). This study suggests MBCT-P is acceptable and feasible. A definitive trial is needed to test its efficacy and cost effectiveness.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- What can we learn from randomized clinical trials about the construct validity of self-report measures of mindfulness? A meta-analysis June 4, 2019
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Children (Basel, Switzerland) December 30, 2025
- EFFECTIVENESS OF MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) TOWARDS DEPRESSION Journal of Nursing Science Update June 30, 2020
- The Effect of Mindfulness Interventions for Parents on Parenting Stress and Youth Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 6, 2019
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