Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome
Women with an FMR1 premutation may be at increased genetic risk for stress vulnerability. This increased vulnerability, when combined with stressful parenting that can result from raising children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), may result in negative physical and emotional outcomes. Mindfulness and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00316/full |
| _version_ | 1818521455742156800 |
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| author | Anne C. Wheeler Shari Miller Amanda Wylie Anne Edwards |
| author_facet | Anne C. Wheeler Shari Miller Amanda Wylie Anne Edwards |
| author_sort | Anne C. Wheeler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Women with an FMR1 premutation may be at increased genetic risk for stress vulnerability. This increased vulnerability, when combined with stressful parenting that can result from raising children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), may result in negative physical and emotional outcomes. Mindfulness and acceptance have been found to be protective factors for parents of children with similar behavioral challenges, but these traits have not previously been explored among mothers with a child with FXS. This study explored the associations of child disability severity with maternal stress, anxiety, depression, and physical health symptoms in 155 biological mothers of children with FXS. Women completed an online survey using standardized measures of stress, mindfulness, and acceptance. General mindfulness, mindfulness in the parenting role, and general acceptance were explored as potential protective factors between the child disability severity and maternal outcomes. Trait mindfulness and acceptance were significant predictors of lower stress, anxiety, depression, and daily health symptoms, while mindful parenting was associated with lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Acceptance was found to attenuate the effects of child severity on maternal stress and depression. These findings suggest that interventions focused on improving mindfulness and acceptance may promote health and well-being for mothers of children with FXS and have important health implications for all individuals with an FMR1 premutation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:51:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-441b33731e6a48f28934f22d08afe389 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:51:13Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-441b33731e6a48f28934f22d08afe3892022-12-22T01:24:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652018-11-01610.3389/fpubh.2018.00316353328Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X SyndromeAnne C. WheelerShari MillerAmanda WylieAnne EdwardsWomen with an FMR1 premutation may be at increased genetic risk for stress vulnerability. This increased vulnerability, when combined with stressful parenting that can result from raising children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), may result in negative physical and emotional outcomes. Mindfulness and acceptance have been found to be protective factors for parents of children with similar behavioral challenges, but these traits have not previously been explored among mothers with a child with FXS. This study explored the associations of child disability severity with maternal stress, anxiety, depression, and physical health symptoms in 155 biological mothers of children with FXS. Women completed an online survey using standardized measures of stress, mindfulness, and acceptance. General mindfulness, mindfulness in the parenting role, and general acceptance were explored as potential protective factors between the child disability severity and maternal outcomes. Trait mindfulness and acceptance were significant predictors of lower stress, anxiety, depression, and daily health symptoms, while mindful parenting was associated with lower stress, anxiety, and depression. Acceptance was found to attenuate the effects of child severity on maternal stress and depression. These findings suggest that interventions focused on improving mindfulness and acceptance may promote health and well-being for mothers of children with FXS and have important health implications for all individuals with an FMR1 premutation.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00316/fullFMR1 premutationmindfulnessmindful parentingacceptancefragile X syndrome |
| spellingShingle | Anne C. Wheeler Shari Miller Amanda Wylie Anne Edwards Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome Frontiers in Public Health FMR1 premutation mindfulness mindful parenting acceptance fragile X syndrome |
| title | Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome |
| title_full | Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome |
| title_short | Mindfulness and Acceptance as Potential Protective Factors for Mothers of Children With Fragile X Syndrome |
| title_sort | mindfulness and acceptance as potential protective factors for mothers of children with fragile x syndrome |
| topic | FMR1 premutation mindfulness mindful parenting acceptance fragile X syndrome |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00316/full |
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