To feel rewarded as a parent: be compassionate with yourself
Supporting Agencies
- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (Spain), under grant 2022-REGING-95655
Abstract
Being a parent is associated with positive outcomes. However, other than having a child, the predictors for such outcomes are scarcely studied in the literature. The current study analyzes the association between self-compassion, parental stress, and parenting rewards (e.g., joy, happiness, and satisfaction taken from the role of parenting) in parents of children with and without disabilities aged 0-6. 169 parents (69.8% female; 26.03% taking care of a child with a disability) completed a self-report questionnaire assessing levels of self-compassion, parental stress, and parenting rewards. A path model examined the effect of self-compassion on parenting rewards, moderated through parental stress and controlling for age and gender. Results suggest that higher levels of self-compassion are associated with higher levels of parenting rewards through lower levels of parental stress. Invariance analyses suggest that this relationship depends on whether the child has a disability. Specifically, a direct association between self-compassion and parenting rewards was identified only among parents caring for children without disabilities. The results suggest that enhancing self-compassion in parents may reduce stress, and therefore, be linked to higher levels of joy, happiness, and satisfaction in performing the parental role. This supports self-compassion as key to parenting and has clinical implications.
Downloads
-
Abstract490
-
pdf343
References
Abidin, R. R. (1992). The determinants of parenting behavior. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 21(4), 407–412. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp2104_12
Abidin, R.R. (1983). The Parenting Stress Index. Charlottesville, VA: Pediatric Psychology Press.
Ahmed, A. N., & Raj, S. P. (2023). Self-compassion Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Feasibility Study. Advances in neurodevelopmental disorders, 7(2), 277–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41252-022-00305-2
Akaroğlu, G. (2023). Variables of parental role satisfaction: Social support, spousal support, parental stress and life satisfaction. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 51(1), 37-56. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2022.2124206
Armstrong, E., Eggins, E., Reid, N., Harnett, P., & Dawe, S. (2018). Parenting interventions for incarcerated parents to improve parenting knowledge and skills, parent well-being, and quality of the parent–child relationship: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 14, 279-317. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-017-9290-6
Barroso, N. E., Mendez, L., Graziano, P. A., & Bagner, D. M. (2018). Parenting stress through the lens of different clinical groups: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 46, 449-461. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-017-0313-6
Bazzano, A., Wolfe, C., Zylowska, L., Wang, S., Schuster, E., Barrett, C., & Lehrer, D. (2013). Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for parents and caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities: A community-based approach. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24, 298–308. https://doi.org/10. 1007/s10826- 013- 9836-9
Berry, J.O., & Jones, W.H. (1995). The Parental Stress scale: Initial psychometric evidence. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 12, 463-472. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407595123009
Bohadana, G., Morrissey, S., & Paynter, J. (2019). Self-compassion: A novel predictor of stress and quality of life in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(10), 4039–4052. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04121-x
Deater-Deckard, K. (1998). Parenting stress and child adjustment: Some old hypotheses and new questions. Clinical psychology: Science and practice, 5(3), 314–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.1998.tb00152.x
Díaz-Herrero, Á., de la Nuez, A. G. B., Pina, J. A. L., Pérez-López, J., & Martínez-Fuentes, M. T. (2010). Estructura factorial y consistencia interna de la versión española del Parenting Stress Index-Short Form. Psicothema, 22(4), 1033-1038.
Díaz-Herrero, A., Lopez-Pina, J. A., Perez-Lopez, J., de la Nuez, A. G., & Martinez-Fuentes, M. T. (2011). Validity of the parenting stress index-short form in a sample of Spanish fathers. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 14(2), 990-997. http://dx.doi.org/10.5209/rev_SJOP.2011.v14.n2.44
García-Campayo, J., Navarro-Gil, M., Andrés, E., Montero-Marin, J., López-Artal, L., & Demarzo, M. M. P. (2014). Validation of the Spanish versions of the long (26 items) and short (12 items) forms of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Health and quality of life outcomes, 12, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-12-4
Han, A., & Kim, T. H. (2023). Effects of Self-Compassion Interventions on Reducing Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Stress: A Meta-Analysis. Mindfulness, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02148-x
Hayes, S. A., & Watson, S. L. (2013). The impact of parenting stress: A meta-analysis of studies comparing the experience of parenting stress in parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 43, 629-642. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1604-y
Hu, L. T., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). Cutoff Criteria for Fit Indexes in Covariance Structure Analysis: Conventional Criteria versus New Alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling, 6, 1-55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10705519909540118
Huynh, T., Phillips, E., & Brock, R. L. (2022). Self-compassion mediates the link between attachment security and intimate relationship quality for couples navigating pregnancy. Family process, 61(1), 294–311. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12692
Ilyas, U., Tariq, Z., Asim, J., & Arshad, Z. (2024). Experiential avoidance, thought suppression, meta‐cognition, and body‐checking among women during pregnancy and postpartum: Buffering effect of self‐compassion. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 165: 988–996. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.15400
Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (2024). Encuesta de condiciones de vida: Resultados por comunidades autónomas. https://www.ine.es/jaxiT3/Datos.htm?t=9949
Jefferson, F. A., Shires, A., & McAloon, J. (2020). Parenting self-compassion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mindfulness, 11(9), 2067–2088. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01401-x
Kirby, J. N. (2016). The role of mindfulness and compassion in enhancing nurturing family environments. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 23(2), 142. https://doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12149
Li-Tsang, W.P.C., Yau, M.K.S. & Yuen, H.K. (2001). Success in parenting children with developmental disabilities: some characteristics, attitudes and adaptive coping skills. British Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 47, 61–71. https://doi.org/10.1179/096979501799155594
Mazumdar, K., Sen, I., Gupta, P., & Parekh, S. (2021). Psychological well-being of Indian mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Perspectives in Psychology, 10(3), 155–162. https://doi.org/10.1027/2157-3891/a000024
Mowder, B. A., Harvey, V. S., Moy, L., & Pedro, M. (1995). Parent role characteristics: Parent views and their implications for school psychologists. Psychology in the Schools, 32, 27–37. https://doi.org/10.1002/1520-6807(199501)32:1<27::AID-PITS2310320106>3.0.CO;2-M
Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (2010). Mplus user’s guide (6th ed.). Author.
Myrskylä, M., & Margolis, R. (2014). Happiness: Before and after the kids. Demography, 51(5), 1843–1866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13524-014-0321-x
Neff, K. D., & Faso, D. J. (2015). Self-compassion and well-being in parents of children with Autism. Mindfulness, 6(4), 938–947. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0359-2
Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of clinical psychology, 69(1), 28–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.21923
Neff, K.D., (2003). Development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self Identity, 2:223–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860390209035
Nelson, S. K., Kushlev, K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2014). The pains and pleasures of parenting: when, why, and how is parenthood associated with more or less well-being? Psychological bulletin, 140(3), 846–895. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035444
Nomaguchi, K. M., & Milkie, M. A. (2003). Costs and rewards of children: The effects of becoming a parent on adults’ lives. Journal of Marriage and Family, 65, 356 –374. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2003.00356.x
Nomaguchi, K., & Milkie, M. A. (2020). Parenthood and well‐being: A decade in review. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 198–223. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12646
Oronoz, B., Alonso-Arbiol, I., & Balluerka, N. (2007). A Spanish adaptation of the Parental Stress Scale. Psicothema, 19(4), 687–692.
Paulson, J. F., & Bazemore, S. D. (2010). Prenatal and postpartum depression in fathers and its association with maternal depression: a meta-analysis. Jama, 303(19), 1961-1969. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.605
Priego-Ojeda, M., & Rusu, P. P. (2023). Emotion regulation, parental stress and family functioning: Families of children with disabilities vs normative families. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 139, 104548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104548
Rayan, A., & Ahmad, M. (2018). Mindfulness and parenting distress among parents of children with disabilities: A literature review. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 54(2), 324–330. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12217
Rizzo, K. M., Schiffrin, H. H., & Liss, M. (2013). Insight into the parenthood paradox: Mental health outcomes of intensive mothering. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 22(5), 614–620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9615-z
Rutherford, M., Singh-Roy, A., Rush, R., McCartney, D., O’Hare, A., & Forsyth, K. (2019). Parent focused interventions for older children or adults with ASD and parent wellbeing outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 68, 101450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2019.101450
Saloviita, T., Itälinna, M., & Leinonen, E. (2003). Explaining the parental stress of fathers and mothers caring for a child with intellectual disability: A double ABCX model. Journal of intellectual disability research, 47(4‐5), 300-312. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2788.2003.00492.x
Schober, P., Boer, C., & Schwarte, L. A. (2018). Correlation Coefficients: Appropriate Use and Interpretation. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 126(5), 1763–1768. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000002864
Sevel, L. S., Finn, M. T. M., Smith, R. M., Ryden, A. M., & McKernan, L. C. (2020). Self-compassion in mindfulness-based stress reduction: An examination of prediction and mediation of intervention effects. Stress and health: journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress, 36(1), 88–96. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2917
Shorey, S., & Ng, E. D. (2021). The efficacy of mindful parenting interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 121, 103996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103996
Spinelli, M., Lionetti, F., Setti, A., & Fasolo, M. (2021). Parenting stress during the COVID-19 outbreak: Socioeconomic and environmental risk factors and implications for children emotion regulation. Family Process, 60(2), 639–653. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12601
Sterne, J. A., White, I. R., Carlin, J. B., Spratt, M., Royston, P., Kenward, M. G., ... & Carpenter, J. R. (2009). Multiple imputation for missing data in epidemiological and clinical research: potential and pitfalls. British Medical Journal 338 https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2393
Westrupp, E. M., Macdonald, J., & Evans, S. (2022). Developmental gains and losses during parenthood. Current opinion in psychology, 43, 295–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.014
Wong, C. C. Y., Mak, W. W. S., & Liao, K. Y. H. (2016). Self-compassion: A potential buffer against affiliate stigma experienced by parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. Mindfulness, 7(6), 1385–1395. https://doi.org/10. 1007/s12671-016-0580-2
Yildirim, M., Duken, M. E., Dag, Y. S., & Yayan, E. H. (2022). Examining care burden, social support, and loneliness in parents of children with cerebral palsy. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 15(3), 1655-1664.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ariadna María De la Vega Castelo, María del Sequeros Pedroso-Chaparro, Rosa Romero-Moreno, Celia Nogales-González, Paula Vagos, Carlos Vara-García
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
About Copyright and Licensing, more details here.
