(PS12-B31) Exploring Predictors of Mindfulness Uptake Among English- and Spanish-speaking Parents of Children with Developmental Delays Following Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction

Recent research has supported the efficacy of Kabat-Zinn’s (2013) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in increasing mindfulness abilities and improving parental well-being among diverse families of children with developmental delays (DD). However, studies examining specific predictors of mindfulness uptake in this population are needed. The present study explored demographic and supportive predictors of change in five facets of mindfulness—Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Non-judging of inner experience, and Non-reactivity to inner experience—among English-speaking (n = 66, M_age = 37.26, 100% female, 30.3% Latina) and Spanish-speaking (n = 37, M_age = 39.89, 97.3% female, 100% Latino) caregivers of preschoolers with DD following participation in intervention.
Participants were assigned to a 16-week behavioral parent training (BPT) intervention enhanced with MBSR (BPT-M; n = 52) or psychoeducation (BPT-E; n = 51) delivered in participants’ primary language. Participants completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer et al., 2006) and the Family Support Scale (Dunst et al., 1986) at Baseline and Post-Intervention.
Baseline group differences between English and Spanish speakers were found on four of the five facets of mindfulness; Spanish speakers reported higher baseline levels of Acting with Awareness (t = 4.81) and Nonjudging (t = 4.81) than English speakers (ps < .001), and English speakers reported higher baseline levels of Nonreactivity (t = - 2.48; p = .014) and marginally higher levels of Observing than Spanish speakers (p = .052). Step-wise hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that mindfulness abilities increased from Pre- to Post-Intervention across all facets of mindfulness in the combined sample (ps < .001). However, overall mindfulness uptake—as measured by increases in the FFMQ total score from Pre- to Post-Intervention—was greater for those in BPT-M versus BPT-E (β = .33, p = .003). Primary language was not a significant predictor of mindfulness uptake on any of the five facets (ps > .05), and there were no post-intervention language differences on the five facets (ps > .05). Social support was a positive predictor of Observing uptake only (β = .33; p = .041).
Our findings highlight the efficacy of MBSR in increasing mindfulness abilities across diverse caregivers of children with DD. Evidence of comparable increases in mindfulness abilities among English and Spanish speakers contrasts existing theories that language barriers preclude intervention uptake in this population and, instead, may reflect the intrinsic linguistic and cultural sensitivity of MBSR’s teachings. Greater baseline levels of Acting with Awareness and Nonjudging among Spanish speakers reflect Spanish speakers’ natural strengths on which future MBSR instructors may capitalize. Findings also underscore the benefits of social support for promoting mindfulness uptake, particularly in increasing one’s capacity to observe internal and external experiences. Our study provides insight into mindfulness uptake among underrepresented populations immediately post-intervention; future analyses will examine longer-term trajectories and additional predictors of mindfulness sustainment.