Psicothema was founded in Asturias (northern Spain) in 1989, and is published jointly by the Psychology Faculty of the University of Oviedo and the Psychological Association of the Principality of Asturias (Colegio Oficial de Psicología del Principado de Asturias).
We currently publish four issues per year, which accounts for some 100 articles annually. We admit work from both the basic and applied research fields, and from all areas of Psychology, all manuscripts being anonymously reviewed prior to publication.
Liliana Paulina Rojas-Torres1 , Yurena Alonso-Esteban2 and Francisco Alcantud-Marín1
1 University of Valencia, Spain,
2 Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
Background: Problems of behaviour, communication, and social interaction associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders can overwhelm parents. Disturbances in parents’ psychological well-being (anxiety, depression) affect adherence to treatment, making it less effective. There is a need to investigate how to increase psychological wellbeing in parents of children with autism. Method: An 8-week brief training programme using the Mindfulness Parenting (MP) intervention was applied to fourteen parents (6 couples and two mothers). Participants were assigned to one of two groups, both groups received the same treatment but at two different time points. Measures of anxiety (SCAARED), parental stress (PSI-4), autism severity level (AIM) and mindfulness awareness (FFMQ), were assessed. Results: Analysis indicates that MP training increased mindfulness awareness, increasing non-judgment and reactivity, and consequently, reduced anxiety (parental, general, social), improving parent-child interaction. This improvement did not influence parents’ perception of the severity of the disorder. Conclusions: The small number of participants precludes generalisation of the results. More clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the usefulness of including these programmes in early intervention services, as well as profiles of parents who may potentially benefit from it.
Antecedentes: Los síntomas asociados a los Trastornos del Espectro Autista pueden abrumar a los padres. Las alteraciones del bienestar psicológico de los padres (ansiedad, depresión) afectan a la adherencia al tratamiento, haciéndolo menos eficaz. Es necesario investigar cómo aumentar el bienestar psicológico de los padres de niños con autismo. Método: Se aplicó un programa de entrenamiento de 8 semanas en Mindfulness Parenting (MP) a catorce padres (6 parejas y dos madres). Los participantes fueron asignados a dos grupos, ambos grupos recibieron el mismo tratamiento, pero en dos momentos diferentes. Se evaluaron medidas de ansiedad (SCAARED), estrés parental (PSI-4), nivel de gravedad del autismo (AIM) y conciencia de la atención plena (FFMQ). Resultados: Se sugiere que el entrenamiento en MP aumenta la atención plena, incrementando el no juicio y la no reactividad y, como consecuencia, reduce la ansiedad (parental, general, social), mejorando la interacción entre padres e hijos pero no influye en la percepción de la gravedad del trastorno. Conclusiones: El reducido número de participantes impide la generalización de los resultados encontrados. Son necesarios más ensayos clínicos para demostrar la pertinencia de incluir estos programas en los servicios de intervención temprana, así como los perfiles de los padres potencialmente beneficiarios.
SPANISH
ENGLISH
https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2022.339