Evaluating an online self-compassion-based mindfulness course for mothers of autistic children.
Jacob Barnum, Maddie Blackham, Maya Hollingshead, Matthew Hatch, Sarah Wilkinson, Madeline Gillies, Rebecca A Lundwall
Frontiers in Psychology April 17, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1761742 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 67 |
| Population | Mothers of infants, including mothers of autistic children and comparison mothers |
| Intervention | Online self-compassion course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Autism Parenting stress Self-compassion Parenting daily hassles |
| Key findings | Among mothers who completed an online self-compassion course, self-compassion and flourishing increased from pre- to post-course, with no significant differences by autism status. Parenting stress, daily hassles, and family quality of life did not show detectable changes. At baseline, mothers of autistic children reported lower family quality of life and higher parenting stress and daily hassles than comparison mothers. |
Abstract
Self-compassion-based mindfulness training has been associated with improved psychological well-being. This study examined whether an established online self-compassion course was associated with changes in self-compassion, flourishing, parenting stress, parenting daily hassles, and family quality of life among mothers of infants, including mothers of autistic children. Mothers were grouped based on whether they had an autistic child or not. We assessed baseline differences prior to course enrollment, pre-post changes among participants who completed the course, and whether changes differed by group. At baseline, 67 mothers completed at least three questionnaires. Between 27 and 44 mothers (depending on the measure) completed both pre- and post-course assessments. At baseline, mothers of autistic children reported lower family quality of life and higher parenting stress and daily hassles than comparison mothers. Among course completers, self-compassion and flourishing increased from pre- to post-course. No significant group × time interactions were observed. Parenting stress, daily hassles, and family quality of life did not show detectable changes over time. Findings are preliminary and non-causal due to the absence of a control group. Results are consistent with prior research indicating lower baseline well-being among mothers of autistic children and suggest that online self-compassion training may support internal coping processes regardless of autism status. However, some caregiving demands appear stable despite improvements in self-compassion.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- The effects of mindfulness-based self-compassion training on stress, psychological resilience, and well-being in parents of autistic children: a randomized controlled study Current Psychology June 27, 2025
- Efficacy and Implementation of Stress-Reduction Interventions for Underserved Families of Autistic Preschoolers Across In-Person and Virtual Modalities. Mindfulness December 1, 2024
- A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology October 15, 2012