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Youth with parents who have high knowledge about their activities are less likely to engage in problem behaviors, making it a key intervention target. Knowledge may emerge from parents’ attempts to gain information (e.g., solicitation) as well as youth decisions on what information to disclose (Racz & McMahon, 2011). In this paper, we investigate if mindful parenting may promote parental knowledge and parent-child communication, and underlying mediating mechanisms. Mindful parents-- those who approach their children with present-centered, non-judgmental acceptance, non-reactivity, and compassion (Duncan, 2007) -- may be more likely to solicit youth for information about their activities, to promote youth disclosure of information, and to know the activities and whereabouts of their children. We hypothesize that mindful parenting may be linked to parent-child communication through three mediating processes. First, mindful parents may be less likely to have negative reactions to youth disclosure of information. Second, mindful parenting, with its focus on acceptance and non-judgment, may reduce youth feelings of parental over-control. Third, because mindful parenting emphasizes compassion and acceptance, it may promote a warmer parent-child relationship. These three processes (reducing negative reactions to disclosure, youth perceptions of over-control and increasing parent-child warmth) may in turn, be linked to increases in youth disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental knowledge.
Methods
The longitudinal sample consisted of 432 families with a 6thgrade child who participated in a randomized controlled trail of a mindfulness-enhanced Strengthening Families Program (Coatsworth et al., 2015). Path models were run in MPLUS 7 that included reports of (a.) mindful parenting at baseline, youth report; (b.) 3 mediating variables collected at post-test (negative parental reactions to disclosure, youth perceptions of over-control, and parent-child affective quality; youth report) and (c.) 3 communication-related constructs measured at the one year follow-up (youth disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental knowledge; mother report). Model fit was assessed using chi-square tests, CFI and TLI. Models control for baseline levels of mediators and outcome variables, intervention condition, and demographics (gender, parental income/education, marital status). Each mediator was tested separately.
Results
Model fit was acceptable (RMSEA .04 - .07; CFI .95 - .98; TLI .84 - .95). First, mindful parenting at baseline was associated with fewer negative reactions to youth disclosure at Wave 2 (p < .001), which in turn, were associated with lower Wave 3 youth disclosure, knowledge, and solicitation (p < .05). Second, mindful parenting was associated with a decrease in youth perceptions of parental over-control, which was in turn, was associated with positive changes in youth disclosure and solicitation (p < .05) but not knowledge. Third, mindful parenting was associated with an increase in the affective quality of the mother-youth relationship, which in turn, was associated with positive changes in disclosure, knowledge, and solicitation (p< .05).
Implications
Mindful parenting may promote parent-child communication through its linkages to negative parental reactions to youth disclosure, youth perceptions of parental over-control, and the affective relationship Training parents in mindful parenting may have positive implications for parent-child communication- an important protective factor for youth problem behavior.