Objectives The prevalence of maternal stress in early years of parenting can negatively impact child development. Therefore, there is a need for an early intervention that is easily accessible and low in costs. The current study examined the effectiveness of an 8-session online mindful parenting training for mothers with elevated levels of parental stress. Methods A total of 76 mothers were randomized into an intervention ( n = 43) or a waitlist control group ( n = 33). The intervention group completed pretest assessment prior to the online intervention. Participants completed a post intervention assessment after the 10 weeks intervention and a follow-up assessment 10 weeks later. The waitlist group completed waitlist assessment, followed by a 10-week waitlist period. After these 10 weeks, a pretest assessment took place, after which the waitlist group participants also started the intervention, followed by the posttest assessment. Participating mothers completed questionnaires on parental stress (parent-child interaction problems, parenting problems, parental role restriction) and other maternal (over-reactive parenting discipline, self-compassion, symptoms of depression and anxiety) and child outcomes (aggressive behavior and emotional reactivity) while the non-participating parents (father or another mother) were asked to also report on child outcomes. Results The online mindful parenting intervention was shown to be significantly more effective at a 95% level than a waitlist period with regard to over-reactive parenting discipline and symptoms of depression and anxiety (small and medium effect sizes), and significantly more effective at a 90% level with regard to self-compassion, and mother-rated child aggressive behavior and child emotional reactivity (small effect sizes). The primary outcome, parental stress, was found to have a 95% significant within-group effect only for the subscale parental role restriction (delayed small effect size improvement at follow-up). No significant improvements on child outcomes were found for the non-participating parent. Conclusion To conclude, the results provide first evidence that an online mindful parenting training may be an easily accessible and valuable intervention for mothers with elevated levels of parental stress.

Since disturbances in the mother-child bond increase the risk of negative consequences for child development, it is important to identify risk and protective factors for bonding as well as longitudinal associations. Previous research has used different bonding instruments during pregnancy and the postnatal phase, leading to inconsistent results. In the current study, the same instrument was used during the various phases. In a large, community-based sample (N = 793), general information, feelings of pre-and postnatal bonding (Pre-and Postnatal Bonding Scale), depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), and partner support (subscale Tilburg Pregnancy/Postnatal Distress Scale) were measured at both 32 weeks of pregnancy and 8 months postnatally. Partner support was found to be a protective factor for suboptimal pre-and postnatal bonding, as was the engagement with fetal movements for prenatal bonding. High maternal educational level was a risk factor for suboptimal prenatal bonding, as were depressive symptoms for suboptimal postnatal bonding. The associations between most prenatal determinants and postnatal bonding were mediated by prenatal bonding, which underlines the importance of promoting prenatal bonding. Professionals in clinical practice should be aware of partner support, engagement with fetal movements, and postnatal depressive symptoms: All these factors offer opportunities for improving the bonding processes. K E Y W O R D S mediation, postnatal bonding, Pre-and Postnatal Bonding Scale (PPBS), prenatal bonding, risk factors, protective factors RESUMENDado que las perturbaciones en la unión afectiva entre madre y niño aumentan el riesgo de consecuencias negativas para el desarrollo del niño, es importante identificar los factores de riesgo y de protección de la unión afectiva, así como también las asociaciones longitudinales. La investigación anterior ha utilizado diferentes instrumentos para la unión afectiva durante el embarazo y la fase postnatal, lo que ha llevado a resultados inconsistentes. En el presente estudio, el mismo instrumento se usó durante las diferentes fases. En un grupo muestra grande con base comunitaria (N = 793), se midieron, tanto a las 32 semanas del embarazo como a los ocho meses después del nacimiento, la información general, los sentimientos sobre la 768 © 2019 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health Infant Ment Health J. 2019;40:768-785. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/imhj menant à des résultats n'étant pas uniformes. Dans cette étude, le même instrument a été utilisé durant les phases multiples. Chez un grand échantillon représentatif de la communauté (N = 793), les renseignements généraux, les sentiments de lien pré-et postnatal (Echelle Pré-et Postnatale) les symptômes dépressifs (Echelle de Dépression Postnatale d'Edinbourg) et le soutien du conjoint (sous-échelle de grossesse Tilburg/Echelle de Détresse Postnatale) ont été mesurés à la fois à 32 semaines de grossesse et à huit mois postnatalement. Le soutien du conjoint s'est avéré être une facteur ...

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