Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

First Advisor

Elise S. Sobol, Ed.D.

Second Advisor

Efleda Tolentino, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Marsha L. Baxter, Ed.D.

Abstract

This research study investigated, analyzed, and compared stress, depression, and anxiety levels between parents who are long-term meditation practitioners and those who are not. By exploring questions related to the impact of mindfulness on parental stress levels, parent-child interactions, emotional awareness, self-regulation, and nonjudgmental acceptance, the research sheds light on the transformative potential of long-term meditation practices for mindful parenting. The study adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative survey data with qualitative insights to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The research included quantitative data from three self-report instruments and qualitative data from five case studies to explore the impact of meditation on parental mental well-being. The results showed the sample demographic (N=84) that currently practiced long-term meditation demonstrated significantly higher levels of mindful parenting on the Interpersonal Mindfulness Parenting (IEM-P) mean scale (M = 3.83, SD = .49) compared to the non-practicing participants (M = 3.58, SD = .33), with notable differences on the awareness, present-centered attention and nonreactivity subscales (p < .05). Although, there was no statistical difference between groups in terms of stress, anxiety and depression; there was a trend towards lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression among long-term meditation practitioners. This investigative research on effective parenting practices offers insights benefiting parents, educators, and mental health professionals in helping families face the growing challenges of parenthood, providing a foundation for future interventions and support mechanisms to enhance the well-being of parents and children alike. Keywords: long-term meditation practice, mindfulness, mindful parenting, parent, parent-child relationship, parental stress, non-judgmental acceptance, self-regulation, transformational parenting

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