Applying Mindfulness to Benefit Economically Disadvantaged Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Herman H.M. Lo; Janet Y.H. Wong; Simpson W. L. Wong; Samuel Y.S. Wong; C. W. Choi; Rainbow T.H. Ho; Ricci W.T. Fong; Eline Snel

doi:10.1177/1049731518817142

Applying Mindfulness to Benefit Economically Disadvantaged Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Herman H.M. Lo^*, Janet Y.H. Wong, Simpson W. L. Wong, Samuel Y.S. Wong, C. W. Choi, Rainbow T.H. Ho, Ricci W.T. Fong, Eline Snel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of family-based mindfulness intervention (FBMI) to promote the stress management and early development of economically disadvantaged families.

Method: Families receiving social security allowance and full textbook allowance and with children aged 5–7 were recruited. Participants were randomized to an FBMI with parallel programs for parents and children (n = 51) and to a wait-list control condition (n = 51).

Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed more significant improvements in child attention, self-regulation, and in parenting stress, in the intervention group than in the control group. At-risk group analyses showed that the high stress group benefited in small to moderate effect sizes in parenting stress and depression, and in moderate to large effect sizes in child behavioral problem and self-regulation.

Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support that FBMI can alleviate the impact of economic disadvantage. FBMI should be applied in social work practice to support disadvantaged families.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	753-765
Number of pages	13
Journal	Research on Social Work Practice
Volume	29
Issue number	7
Early online date	16 Dec 2018
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731518817142
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2019

Scopus Subject Areas

Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Sociology and Political Science
Psychology(all)

User-Defined Keywords

child mental health
economically disadvantaged families
mindfulness-based intervention
parenting stress
randomized controlled trial

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/1049731518817142

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title = "Applying Mindfulness to Benefit Economically Disadvantaged Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial",

abstract = "Objective: To evaluate the effects of family-based mindfulness intervention (FBMI) to promote the stress management and early development of economically disadvantaged families. Method: Families receiving social security allowance and full textbook allowance and with children aged 5–7 were recruited. Participants were randomized to an FBMI with parallel programs for parents and children (n = 51) and to a wait-list control condition (n = 51). Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed more significant improvements in child attention, self-regulation, and in parenting stress, in the intervention group than in the control group. At-risk group analyses showed that the high stress group benefited in small to moderate effect sizes in parenting stress and depression, and in moderate to large effect sizes in child behavioral problem and self-regulation. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support that FBMI can alleviate the impact of economic disadvantage. FBMI should be applied in social work practice to support disadvantaged families.",

keywords = "child mental health, economically disadvantaged families, mindfulness-based intervention, parenting stress, randomized controlled trial",

author = "Lo, {Herman H.M.} and Wong, {Janet Y.H.} and Wong, {Simpson W. L.} and Wong, {Samuel Y.S.} and Choi, {C. W.} and Ho, {Rainbow T.H.} and Fong, {Ricci W.T.} and Eline Snel",

note = "Funding Information: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by the Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong Special Area Region (#21611415). Publisher copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2018 ",

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AU - Lo, Herman H.M.

AU - Wong, Janet Y.H.

AU - Wong, Simpson W. L.

AU - Wong, Samuel Y.S.

AU - Choi, C. W.

AU - Ho, Rainbow T.H.

AU - Fong, Ricci W.T.

AU - Snel, Eline

N1 - Funding Information: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by the Early Career Scheme, Research Grants Council, Hong Kong Special Area Region (#21611415). Publisher copyright: © The Author(s) 2018

PY - 2019/10/1

Y1 - 2019/10/1

N2 - Objective: To evaluate the effects of family-based mindfulness intervention (FBMI) to promote the stress management and early development of economically disadvantaged families. Method: Families receiving social security allowance and full textbook allowance and with children aged 5–7 were recruited. Participants were randomized to an FBMI with parallel programs for parents and children (n = 51) and to a wait-list control condition (n = 51). Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed more significant improvements in child attention, self-regulation, and in parenting stress, in the intervention group than in the control group. At-risk group analyses showed that the high stress group benefited in small to moderate effect sizes in parenting stress and depression, and in moderate to large effect sizes in child behavioral problem and self-regulation. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support that FBMI can alleviate the impact of economic disadvantage. FBMI should be applied in social work practice to support disadvantaged families.

AB - Objective: To evaluate the effects of family-based mindfulness intervention (FBMI) to promote the stress management and early development of economically disadvantaged families. Method: Families receiving social security allowance and full textbook allowance and with children aged 5–7 were recruited. Participants were randomized to an FBMI with parallel programs for parents and children (n = 51) and to a wait-list control condition (n = 51). Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed more significant improvements in child attention, self-regulation, and in parenting stress, in the intervention group than in the control group. At-risk group analyses showed that the high stress group benefited in small to moderate effect sizes in parenting stress and depression, and in moderate to large effect sizes in child behavioral problem and self-regulation. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support that FBMI can alleviate the impact of economic disadvantage. FBMI should be applied in social work practice to support disadvantaged families.

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Applying Mindfulness to Benefit Economically Disadvantaged Families: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Scopus Subject Areas

User-Defined Keywords

UN SDGs

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