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The Association Between Mindful Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: The Role of Mother–Child Communication

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Abstract

This study aimed to explore the mediation process from maternal mindful parenting to adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems through mother–child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. A total of 496 mother-adolescent dyads participated in the current study. Mother-reported mindful parenting and mother–child communication and adolescent-reported self-disclosure and behavior problems were collected. Path analysis results showed that mothers’ mindful parenting was indirectly associated with adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors through mother–child communication and adolescent self-disclosure. In addition, the specific components of mindful parenting were examined in detail. The component of interacting with full attention showed unique patterns, while components of compassion and acceptance and emotion awareness of children showed similar pattern with the total score. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the mechanism underlying how mindful parenting benefit adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors, and have implications for clinical interventions.

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Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31700961); and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Sun Yat-sen University (20wkzd13).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

    Wanting Yang, Ju Deng & Yuyin Wang

Authors
  1. Wanting Yang
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  2. Ju Deng
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  3. Yuyin Wang
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Correspondence to Yuyin Wang.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Yang, W., Deng, J. & Wang, Y. The Association Between Mindful Parenting and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: The Role of Mother–Child Communication. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 53, 776–785 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01168-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01168-9

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