Poster #101 - The Mindful Family: A Qualitative Analysis of Family Mindfulness Practice

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Family Context & Processes

Integrative Statement

Mindfulness, which involves purposeful, present-focused attention with an attitude of acceptance and non-judgment (Baer et al, 2006), has been shown to improve a variety of psychological health outcomes in adults, and an emerging body of research has begun to show the potential benefits of mindfulness in youth, and as a tool for improving parenting skills (Greenberg & Harris, 2012; Duncan et al., 2009). Although it is widely acknowledged that mindfulness practices have great potential for enhancing family relationships (via increased self-acceptance, decreased emotional reactivity, etc.), there has been very little research actually investigating the process of incorporating mindfulness practices in families and the benefits that may bring. Extending mindfulness into everyday family life may be very challenging for multiple reasons; for example, we know that gains made in individual mindfulness practice are not easily sustained within the complexities of interpersonal interactions (Falb & Pargament, 2012). The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative research design to gain an understanding of the experiences of parents who are attempting to incorporate mindfulness-related activities into their family lives, including the challenges faced by parents and the types of practices that are more or less beneficial, as a first step towards developing a family-focused mindfulness intervention. A series of six focus groups was conducted with parents of children ages 5 to 15 years who were participating in mindfulness classes for children and families at two mindfulness centers in a mid-Atlantic urban area. Parents were asked to discuss the process of practicing mindfulness with their families. Audio recordings of the groups were transcribed, and data were managed and coded using QSR International’s NVivo 10 software. Data coding and analysis followed both inductive and deductive approaches; an initial set of codes was developed from the interview topics and the conceptual framework, with additional codes identified from concepts that emerged from the data. Two graduate research assistants independently coded the transcripts, and preliminary reliability across codes averaged > 95% agreement, with kappas > .75. The analytic process revealed five major themes: (a) ways in which families benefited from mindfulness, including overall improvements in family connectedness/mutual understanding, specific improvements in how family members relate in times of stress, and improved individual self-regulation; (b) ways in which parents teach mindfulness to other family members, including both didactic approaches and modeling of mindfulness; (c) ways in which families practice mindfulness, including structured mindfulness activities, informally incorporating mindfulness into everyday activities, and family members reminding one another to be mindful; (d) obstacles to family mindfulness practice, such as busy routines, inadequate knowledge/skill, or lack of support from family members or a mindfulness community; and (e) developmental themes reflecting ways in which teaching, practices, benefits, and obstacles vary depending on children’s developmental levels. Each of these themes will be expanded upon with illustrative quotes from participants, and the material will be discussed in light of implications for family-based interventions.

Authors

• Marcie Goeke-Morey, The Catholic University of America
  Presenting Author

• Barry M. Wagner, The Catholic University of America
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claire A. Spears, Georgia State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Natalie K. Anderson, The Catholic University of America
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kesley Ramsey, The Catholic University of America
  Non-Presenting Author

• Andrew S. Connors, The Catholic University of America
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bridget A. Lynn, The Catholic University of America
  Non-Presenting Author