| The divorce literature reveals that children and parents often experience significant social and emotional difficulties after divorce. With attention focused on trying to ameliorate these issues, researchers have overlooked the significance of attachment issues that emerge in the wake of divorce. The research conveys little about what helps families adapt to changes in structure and stability during marital transition. The presence of a positive relationship with a parental figure has been found to buffer young children against the difficulties of marital transition. Cultivating positive parent-child relationships seems a promising path toward helping these families. However, current interventions typically focus on problematic behaviors exhibited by children, and do not address relationship changes encountered by families. A parenting program, designed to foster effective parent-child relationships, was identified as a potentially viable treatment alternative.;The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of this innovative parenting program (The Mindful Parenting Program) with parents considered to be at risk for experiencing disconnection in the parent-child relationship. Twelve divorced or permanently separated adults who were raising a young child were recruited. Participants were expected to complete the program reporting heightened states of mindfulness. If this heightened state of awareness was achieved, parents were also expected to display greater connectedness in the parent-child relationship. Mindfulness was measured using the Toronto Mindfulness Scale and Mindfulness Practice Logs. Parent-child relationship measures included the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form and Behavioral Home Observations. An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum was also conducted. Results indicated that participants experienced increased levels of mindfulness following the program; however, improvements in parent-child connectedness were not observed. One possible explanation for the lack of impact on parent-child connectedness was that post-treatment evaluations were conducted immediately post-treatment rather than at a delayed time point. The program was well-received and parents reported high levels of satisfaction with the class, group leader, and group experience. Evaluation of the curriculum provided valuable information that may be used to further refine the program and potentially improve its effectiveness in future studies. |
