Mindfulness programming for parents and teachers of children with ADHD

Background: Parents and teachers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at-risk for a range of suboptimal psychosocial outcomes, including mental health difficulties and heightened stress, problems perhaps ameliorated through mindfulness-based programming. Objective: To show pilot data from an investigation of the outcomes of a purpose-built mindfulness training for parents and teachers of children with ADHD (N = 26). Methods: The program represents a purpose-driven modification of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum. Namely, we reduced participant time commitment and added psycho-education about ADHD with brief parent training. The measurement protocol included measures of stress, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness. Results: Following the 8-week program, parents and teachers reported reduced perceived stress, reduced self-reported anxiety, and improvements in some facets of mindfulness. Conclusion: The work highlights the promise of specialized mindfulness-based interventions in promoting positive psychosocial outcomes in specific at-risk groups, such as the carers of children with ADHD. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.