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Comparison of the Effectiveness of Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation Training on Parenting Stress and Parent–Child Relationship Among Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities
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Forough Ghalehgolab   , Shahnaz Mohammadi * , Somayeh Shahmoradi |
| Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran , smohammadi@khu.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (13 Views) |
Introduction: Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities are exposed to higher levels of parenting stress and reduced quality of parent–child interactions due to continuous caregiving demands, child behavioral difficulties, functional limitations, and concerns about the child’s future. Therefore, interventions that enhance parents’ psychological resources, including emotional awareness and emotion regulation skills, are of particular importance. The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of mindfulness training and emotion regulation training on parenting stress and the mother–child relationship among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities.
Methods: This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental multi-group design with pretest, posttest, control group, and two-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all mothers of children aged 6–10 years with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities who referred to educational and rehabilitation centers in Kermanshah in 2025. Sixty mothers who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to three groups: Experimental Group 1 (mindfulness training), Experimental Group 2 (emotion regulation training), and the control group (20 participants in each group). Data were collected using the Parenting Stress Index–Short Form (PSI-SF) and the Parent–Child Relationship Survey (PCRS). Data were analyzed using mixed analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests in SPSS version 27.
Results: Results from the mixed ANOVA indicated significant main effects of group (mindfulness training, emotion regulation training, and control group), time, and the interaction effect of time × group on parenting stress and mother–child relationship components. Pairwise comparisons showed that both mindfulness training and emotion regulation training, compared with the control group, significantly reduced parental distress, perceived difficult child characteristics, and negative feelings related to the mother–child relationship, while significantly increasing positive affect and identification. Furthermore, both interventions improved mother–child communication; however, the mindfulness training group demonstrated greater improvement than the emotion regulation training group in the components of parent–child dysfunctional interaction and communication. No significant differences were observed between the two intervention groups in the other components.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that both mindfulness training and emotion regulation training can be considered effective interventions for reducing parenting stress and improving the mother–child relationship in families of children with intellectual disabilities. Given the greater impact of mindfulness training on some interactive components of the mother–child relationship, interventions based on enhancing awareness, acceptance, and reducing emotional reactivity may be considered in the development of family-centered support programs for these parents.
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| Keywords: Emotion regulation, Intellectual disability, Mindfulness, Mothers of children with intellectual disabilities, Mother–child relationship, Parenting stress. |
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Type of Study: Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing |
Subject:
behavioral sciences
Received: 2026/10/10 | Accepted: 2026/10/14 | Published: 2026/10/2
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