1073 - DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF MATERNAL AND PATERNAL MINDFUL PARENTING ON ADOLESCENT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: EVIDENCE FROM A LONGITUDINAL MEDIATION ANALYSIS

Session: P_D06S003 - Poster Session 3 - Division 6
AUTHORS:
Yang Zhengqian (State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Luo Yuhan (School of education, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Chen Fumei (Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Luo Rui (State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Zhang Yifan (State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Pu Qian (Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment for Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China) , Wang Yun (State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China ~ Beijing ~ China)
Abstract text:
Mindful parenting involves being aware of the present moment, adopting a non-judgemental attitude, and being sensitive to children's emotions (Kabat-Zinn & Kabat-Zinn, 2021). Previous studies have shown that mindful parenting can alleviate depressive symptoms in adolescents (Geurtzen et al., 2015). However, the mechanisms through which mindful parenting influences adolescent depression remain unclear. This study used a chain mediation model to examine whether difficulties in mindfulness and emotion regulation mediate the relationship between mindful parenting and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The study used a three-wave longitudinal design with six-month intervals. Data were collected from 1,218 parent-adolescent dyads in northern China (47.9% girls; Mage = 13.85, SD = 1.34).
Two separate models were constructed to test the effects of maternal or paternal mindful parenting. Maternal mindful parenting was found to significantly predict adolescents' mindfulness and emotion regulation difficulties, but not depressive symptoms. There were significant indirect effects via mindfulness (β = -0.018, 95% CI [-0.035, -0.006]), emotion regulation difficulties (β = -0.056, 95% CI [-0.098, -0.019]), and the sequential pathway through mindfulness and emotion regulation difficulties (β = -0.011, 95% CI [-0.021, -0.005]). The total indirect effect was -0.086. However, paternal mindful parenting was found to significantly predict adolescents' mindfulness, though not emotion regulation difficulties or depressive symptoms, directly. Significant indirect effects emerged via mindfulness (β = -0.015, 95% CI [-0.032, -0.005]) and via the sequential pathway of mindfulness followed by emotion regulation difficulties (β = -0.010, 95% CI [-0.019, -0.004]). These yielded a total indirect effect of -0.055.
The findings suggest that mindful parenting has a stronger protective effect against depressive symptoms in adolescents when practiced by mothers than by fathers. This study improves our understanding of the protective role of mindful parenting against adolescent depression, supporting the implementation of mindfulness-based interventions.