The effectiveness of mindful parenting training on the difficulties in emotion regulation and parental self-efficacy in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract Background and Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mindful parenting training on the difficulties in emotion regulation and parental self-efficacy in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Method: This research was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population included all mothers with children with autism spectrum disorder in Tabriz who referred to exceptional children's educational centers in the first quarter of 2021. The statistical sample consisted of 30 mothers who were selected by purposive sampling using the inclusion criteria and were replaced in two experimental and control groups. Data collection tools included the difficulties in Emotional Regulation Questionnaire and Parental Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. In this study, the subjects in the experimental group received 8 sessions of 2-hour mindfulness parenting training. Data analysis was performed using univariate analysis of covariance in SPSS version 26. Results: The findings of the research showed that mindful parenting training has led to a decrease in the average difficulties in emotion regulation and dimention of lack of acceptance of emotional responses, difficulty in performing purposeful behavior, difficulty controlling impulse, lack of emotional awareness, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and lack of clarity of emotion and an increase in the average parenting self-efficacy of the experimental group participants compared to the control group. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be argued that mindfulness parenting education is an effective and significant intervention to improve the difficulty in regulating emotion, promoting parental self-efficacy in mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.