Can Mindfulness Training Help Children With ADHD and Their Parents?

What you need to know

• One in three children with ADHD showed meaningful improvements in self-control after mindfulness training
• Parents who participated showed lasting benefits in their own mental health and parenting abilities
• The program worked better for some families than others, suggesting mindfulness training could be a helpful additional treatment option when other approaches aren’t enough

The Challenge of Managing ADHD

Living with ADHD can feel like trying to conduct an orchestra where each musician is playing their own tune. Both children and their parents often struggle with maintaining focus, controlling impulses, and managing daily tasks. While medications help many children with ADHD, they don’t work for everyone, and their long-term effects aren’t fully understood. Parents of children with ADHD also tend to experience more stress and mental health challenges, which can create a challenging cycle within families.

A New Approach: Family Mindfulness Training

Enter MYmind - a specialized mindfulness program designed specifically for children with ADHD and their parents. Think of it as learning to be a better conductor of your own mind and behavior. The program consists of 8 weekly 90-minute sessions where children and parents meet in separate groups, practicing techniques to improve attention, self-awareness, and emotional regulation.

The researchers wanted to know: Could adding this mindfulness training to usual ADHD treatment help both children and parents? They studied 103 families where children aged 8-16 had ADHD symptoms that weren’t fully controlled by standard treatments.

What the Study Found

The results paint an interesting picture. While the average improvements in children’s self-control weren’t dramatically different between those who received mindfulness training and those who didn’t, looking closer revealed important nuances:

• About 32% of children who received mindfulness training showed significant improvements in self-control, compared to only 11% who received usual care alone
• Teachers noticed better self-control in children who completed the program
• Children showed improvements in hyperactivity and impulsivity that lasted up to 6 months
• Parents reported their children had less anxiety and fewer sleep problems immediately after the program

Parent Benefits: An Unexpected Bonus

One of the most striking findings was how much parents benefited from the program. Parents who participated showed:

• Lasting improvements in their own ADHD symptoms
• Better mental health and well-being
• Increased self-compassion
• More mindful parenting practices
• Reduced anxiety and stress over time

These benefits were particularly strong for parents who started the program with lower levels of self-compassion or mindful parenting skills.

What This Means for You

If you’re a parent of a child with ADHD, these findings suggest that family mindfulness training could be worth considering, especially if:

• Current treatments aren’t providing enough help
• You’re looking for non-medication approaches to add to your treatment plan
• Both you and your child are willing to practice mindfulness regularly
• You’re interested in improving your own parenting skills and well-being alongside your child’s progress

However, it’s important to remember that mindfulness training worked better for some families than others. Consider discussing this option with your healthcare providers to determine if it might be right for your family.

Conclusions

• Family mindfulness training can be a valuable addition to standard ADHD treatment, especially when other approaches aren’t providing enough benefit
• The benefits extend beyond just managing ADHD symptoms - both children and parents can experience improvements in their overall well-being
• While not everyone shows dramatic improvements, for those who do respond well, the effects can be meaningful and long-lasting