TY - JOUR
T1 - Transforming Schema-Driven Parenting Through Mindfulness Intervention
T2 - A Mixed-Methods Study
AU - Lyu, Renhui
AU - Tan, Yaqian
AU - Lu, Shuang
AU - Dai, Xiaolu
AU - Hu, Hui
N1 - The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (FRF-TP-25-051, PI: Renhui Lyu).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025
PY - 2025/9/22
Y1 - 2025/9/22
N2 - Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of mindful parenting (MP) in modifying schema-driven parenting modes. Methods: Seventy-eight Chinese parents with parenting stress and adverse childhood experiences were randomly assigned to an 8-week MP intervention or a waitlist control group. Maladaptive schemas, parenting stress, and MP were assessed pre- and postintervention. Results: MP participants showed significant within-group reductions in total maladaptive schemas (d = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.04, 0.75]) and the Enmeshment subscale (d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.05, 0.76]). Compared with controls, they also showed greater decreases in parenting stress (d = 0.74, 95% CI [0.27, 1.20]) and improved emotional awareness (d =0.54, 95% CI [0.13, 0.95]). Qualitative findings showed that schema work influenced parenting by increasing awareness of schema activation, improving self-regulation, and fostering more adaptive responses to children. Discussion: MP appears to improve parent–child interactions by disrupting dysfunctional schema transmission.
AB - Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of mindful parenting (MP) in modifying schema-driven parenting modes. Methods: Seventy-eight Chinese parents with parenting stress and adverse childhood experiences were randomly assigned to an 8-week MP intervention or a waitlist control group. Maladaptive schemas, parenting stress, and MP were assessed pre- and postintervention. Results: MP participants showed significant within-group reductions in total maladaptive schemas (d = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.04, 0.75]) and the Enmeshment subscale (d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.05, 0.76]). Compared with controls, they also showed greater decreases in parenting stress (d = 0.74, 95% CI [0.27, 1.20]) and improved emotional awareness (d =0.54, 95% CI [0.13, 0.95]). Qualitative findings showed that schema work influenced parenting by increasing awareness of schema activation, improving self-regulation, and fostering more adaptive responses to children. Discussion: MP appears to improve parent–child interactions by disrupting dysfunctional schema transmission.
KW - adverse childhood experience
KW - intervention
KW - maladaptive schemas
KW - mindful parenting
KW - qualitative interview
KW - randomized controlled trial
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105016596037&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/10497315251377045
DO - 10.1177/10497315251377045
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:105016596037
SN - 1049-7315
JO - Research on Social Work Practice
JF - Research on Social Work Practice
ER -