The Reciprocal Effects of Maternal Dispositional Mindfulness and Young Children’s Mental and Behavioral Problems Amidst COVID-19: A Longitudinal Observational Study
Zhijun Liu, Hui Tang, Shilin Zhang, Guoyan Liu, Yongjia Zheng, Yangji Chen, Yi Xiong, Qiyun Jin, Chaojie Liu
Research Square April 14, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9008390/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 483 |
| Population | Mothers and their young children during and after COVID-19 household confinement |
| Duration | Five months later (follow-up after confinement lifted) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Mothers' dispositional mindfulness during COVID-19 confinement negatively predicted their young children's mental and behavioral problems five months later (β = -0.11), and children's problems also negatively predicted mothers' mindfulness (β = -0.20), suggesting reciprocal effects. |
Abstract
Abstract It is not well understood whether maternal mindfulness can serve as a protective factor to mitigate mental and behavioral problems (MBPs) in young children, particularly in the face of disastrous events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This longitudinal observational study, involving 483 mothers, demonstrated that dispositional mindfulness of the mothers during COVID-19-triggered household confinement negatively predicted their young children’s MBPs ( β = -0.11, p < 0.01) five months later when household confinement was lifted. Interestingly, MBPs in young children also significantly predicted mothers’ dispositional mindfulness ( β = -0.20, p < 0.001). This study contributes new insights into the reciprocal effects between maternal behaviors and young children’s MBPs.
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
Cites 4
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- A Model of Mindful Parenting: Implications for Parent–Child Relationships and Prevention Research Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review May 2, 2009
- Parenting-focused mindfulness intervention reduces stress and improves parenting in highly-stressed mothers of adolescents. Mindfulness February 2021