Mindfulness Initiatives for Students, Teachers, and Parents: a Review of Literature and Implications for Practice During COVID-19 and Beyond.

The use of mindfulness in schools has greatly expanded over the past 10 years. Research has demonstrated positive psychological effects of mindfulness for students as well as teachers (Emerson et al., Mindfulness 8:1136-1149, 2017; Semple et al., Psychology in the Schools 54:29-52, 2017). Similarly, studies focusing on mindfulness interventions for parents of children with disabilities and/or psychosocial difficulties have also yielded a variety of positive outcomes, including reduced parenting stress, increases in quality of life, and improved parent-child interactions (Bögels et al., 2016; Rayan and Ahmad, Research in Developmental Disabilities 55:185-196, 2016). Although there has been a proliferation of mindfulness research, and mindfulness has become a buzzword in popular culture, it has not been systematically examined or applied as an approach to improving psychosocial functioning in children, school personnel, and families during COVID-19 and in online settings. This article provides a preliminary framework for this examination by reviewing relevant research and providing practical strategies and resources for school psychologists.

Coping patterns in Latino families of children with asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Using the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP), this study examined coping behaviors in 26 Latino parents of children with asthma. METHODS: Correlations and t tests were used to look at variables related to the parents' coping patterns and to compare their frequency of usage of these patterns. RESULTS: The parents in this study were most likely to cope with their child's asthma by making active attempts to understand this condition, doing activities with family members, and maintaining an optimistic perspective. Child and family variables were not significantly associated with parents' usage of coping patterns. DISCUSSION: These results shed light on coping in Latino families of children with asthma and contribute to a growing framework of research and practice regarding health problems in this population. The aforementioned results can enhance health care professionals' understanding of the experiences of these families and help develop and expand culturally sensitive interventions to positively affect their health and psychological needs.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Latino families experiencing pediatric asthma.

The purpose of the present study was to examine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in Latino children with asthma and their parents. Twenty-six parents completed the Pediatric Asthma Caregivers Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ), the Health Status and Activities Questionnaire for Children with Asthma (HSAQ) and four subscales from the Family Environment Scale. The results indicated that, overall, neither children with asthma nor their parents showed significant impairments in their HRQOL, though higher illness severity was associated with lower child quality of life and lower parent quality of life related to activity limitations. Other child and family variables, including dimensions of family functioning, did not correlate significantly with HRQOL. However, child and parent HRQOL were significantly associated with each other. This study provides additional context for understanding the experiences of Latino families dealing with pediatric asthma.

Parent/caregiver stress during pediatric hospitalization for chronic feeding problems.

This study examined changes in stress in 37 mothers/caregivers of children with chronic feeding problems. Stress was measured by the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form at three specific stages during pediatric hospitalization for treatment of chronic feeding problems. The relationship between caregiver stress and stage of hospitalization as well as that between stress and various child and family variables were investigated. Repeated-measures analyses of variance and t tests found that stress related to social isolation and self-perception and total parenting stress changed significantly in relation to the stage of hospitalization. Correlational analyses indicated that caregiver stress was positively related to the presence of mental retardation, oral-motor dysfunction, tonal abnormalities, or a pervasive developmental disorder in the hospitalized child. Caregiver stress was negatively related to coping strategies that involved understanding the child's medical situation. These results provide a more comprehensive picture of families of children with chronic feeding problems, a population that has received little attention in the research literature. Information regarding parent/caregiver stress during a child's hospitalization can enhance nurses' understanding of the experiences of these families, thereby contributing to more effective treatment planning. In addition, the results emphasize the need to examine a variety of child and family factors that may influence parenting stress as well as family involvement in intervention services.

Coping patterns in mothers/caregivers of children with chronic feeding problems.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, with use of the Coping Health Inventory for Parents (CHIP), coping behaviors were examined in 35 mothers/ caregivers of children with chronic feeding problems during hospitalization for treatment of these problems. Coping in families of children with these problems has not been addressed in research. This information is beneficial in planning and implementing treatment and follow-up services. METHOD: Correlations and t tests were used to look at variables related to the mothers'/caregivers' coping patterns and to compare their frequency of usage of these patterns. RESULTS: The mothers/caregivers in this study were most likely to cope with their child's feeding problems by making active attempts to understand the problems and by doing activities with family members. Several child and family variables were significantly related to maternal coping patterns. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that it is important to provide a variety of resources to families of children with chronic feeding problems during their children's hospitalizations, including access to support and information groups. The results also suggest that it is beneficial for these families to acquire a thorough understanding of their child's medical situation because this understanding seems to help them in their ability to cope.