Mindful parenting predicts mothers' and infants' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity during a dyadic stressor.
Heidemarie K Laurent, Larissa G Duncan, April Lightcap, Faaiza Khan
Developmental Psychology November 28, 2016 DOI: 10.1037/dev0000258 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 73 |
| Population | Mother-infant dyads from a larger longitudinal study, assessed at 3 and 6 months postpartum |
| Duration | Assessments at 3 and 6 months postpartum; Still Face task at 6 months |
| Measures | salivary cortisol |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Pituitary-adrenal system Hypothalamo-hypophyseal system Saliva Humans Hydrocortisone Longitudinal studies Stress, psychological Maternal behavior Mother-child relations Parenting Mothers Interpersonal relations Adolescent Infant Female Young adult Self report |
| Key findings | Maternal parenting-specific mindfulness, but not general dispositional mindfulness, was associated with steeper maternal cortisol recovery after a dyadic stressor. Under high life stress, mindful parenting predicted lower infant cortisol but more extended maternal cortisol elevations, suggesting different physiological patterns for mothers and infants. |
Abstract
Mindfulness in the parenting relationship has been proposed to help both parents and children better regulate stress, though this has not yet been shown at the physiological level. In this study, we tested relations between maternal mindfulness in parenting and both mothers' and their infants' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity during a dyadic stressor 3 months later. Participants were 73 mother-infant dyads from a larger longitudinal study. At 3 months postpartum, mothers completed self-report measures of general dispositional mindfulness and parenting-specific mindfulness, as well as stressful life events. At 6 months postpartum, mother-infant dyads completed the Still Face task. Four saliva samples were collected from each dyad member for cortisol assay to index the HPA axis response. Hierarchical linear modeling of cortisol trajectories revealed a main effect of maternal parenting-specific mindfulness (mindful parenting), but not general dispositional mindfulness, on mothers' cortisol; mothers with higher mindful parenting showed steeper cortisol recovery slopes. In addition, maternal mindful parenting moderated the effect of life stress on later mother and infant cortisol. In the context of high life stress, maternal mindful parenting predicted lower infant cortisol levels, but more extended maternal cortisol elevations. Implications for a biobehavioral model of mindful parenting are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Qualities of early caregiving and children's development of self-beyond-self: possibilities at the intersection of developmental and contemplative science Child Development Perspectives January 7, 2026
- 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
- Mindfulness as a Potential Moderator Between Child Behavior Problems and Maternal Well-Being. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities November 1, 2023
Cites 5
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- Brain regions involved in dispositional mindfulness during resting state and their relation with well-being. Social Neuroscience 2016
- Parent Mindfulness and Child Outcome: The Roles of Parent Depressive Symptoms and Parenting. Mindfulness 2011