Effectiveness of Mindfulness- and Emotion Regulation-Based Psychological Interventions on Parenting Stress, Quality of Life, and the Parent–Child Relationship in Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review of the Evidence
Keywords:
mindfulness, emotion regulation, parenting stress, quality of life, parent–child relationship, children with intellectual disabilitiesAbstract
The primary objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence on the effectiveness of mindfulness- and emotion regulation-based psychological interventions in reducing parenting stress and improving quality of life and the parent–child relationship among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities. To identify and explain the criteria and variables of the proposed model, a seven-year systematic review of the evidence based on the PRISMA framework was conducted, covering Persian-language studies published from 2020 to 2026 and English-language studies published from 2020 to 2026. One of the principal findings of the present study was that the model of the “effectiveness of mindfulness- and emotion regulation-based psychological interventions on parenting stress, quality of life, and the parent–child relationship in mothers of children with intellectual disabilities” was finalized on the basis of several constructs and criteria. The construct of “parental mindfulness” encompassed criteria such as present-moment attention, acceptance and nonjudgment, and mindful awareness in parenting. The construct of “parental emotion regulation” included criteria such as emotional appraisal, cognitive reappraisal, and impulse control. The construct of “parenting stress” comprised criteria such as parental psychological distress, parental fatigue, and feelings of parental helplessness. The construct of the “parent–child relationship” included criteria such as parent–child emotional intimacy, parent–child communication and dialogue, and parental encouragement and support. The construct of “parental quality of life” encompassed criteria such as the costs associated with child care, sacrificing personal needs, and parents’ social relationships. Finally, the construct of the “status of children with intellectual disabilities” included mild, moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disability.
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