A mindful parenting program for self-care co-occupation of autistic children on parental outcomes: a feasibility pilot randomized clinical trial

This pilot randomized clinical trial (RCT) evaluated the feasibility and exploratory effects of a mindful parenting participation program integrated into occupational therapy (OT) to enhance parental engagement in the self-care co-occupation of autistic children. Twenty parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to the intervention (mindfulness-based training + conventional OT) or the comparison groups (conventional OT). The two-month intervention was followed by assessments immediately post-intervention and at two months. Outcomes were measured using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Mindfulness in Parenting Questionnaire (MIPQ), Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and CAPES-DD for parental self-efficacy. Feasibility was confirmed, with high rates of acceptability (87.5%), attendance (75%), compliance (75%), and fidelity. The intervention group showed preliminary and exploratory improvement in parental satisfaction with the child’s self-care co-occupation compared to the control group, with a clinically meaningful change (SMD: 2.1 at the post-test, 1.4 at the follow-up). Improvements were also observed in mindful parenting and parenting stress. Parental self-efficacy showed delayed gains, becoming comparable at follow-up. Embedding mindfulness into parenting co-occupations is feasible and potentially beneficial in improving parental satisfaction and psychological well-being. Future studies with larger samples and longer follow-up are warranted. Mindfulness-based interventions can be effectively integrated into conventional occupational therapy for parents of autistic children, enhancing parental satisfaction with child self-care.
Improvements in mindful parenting practices can foster better emotional regulation and responsiveness, reduce parental stress and improve caregiving.Incorporating mindfulness strategies into therapy for parents may promote long-term reductions in stress, contributing to better overall well-being.A combined approach of mindfulness and conventional occupational therapy offers a promising avenue for improving parental self-efficacy and enhancing caregiving skills in families of autistic children. Improvements in mindful parenting practices can foster better emotional regulation and responsiveness, reduce parental stress and improve caregiving. Incorporating mindfulness strategies into therapy for parents may promote long-term reductions in stress, contributing to better overall well-being. A combined approach of mindfulness and conventional occupational therapy offers a promising avenue for improving parental self-efficacy and enhancing caregiving skills in families of autistic children.