Relations between mind-mindedness, stress and parent-child relationship quality in parents of children with a history of mental health or behavioural difficulties

This study extends research on relations between parental distress and mind-mindedness in high-risk samples by exploring these relations in parents of children who had/had not received professional support for mental health, emotional or behavioural difficulties. An online survey was completed by parents of children who had received professional input around mental health or behaviour (n = 67) versus a comparison group (n = 84) who had not. Measures of parental mind-mindedness, parental distress, and parent-child relationship quality (closeness and conflict) were administered. Parents in the clinical group reported higher distress, conflict with their child and negative mind-mindedness. Moderated mediation analyses showed the association between positive mind-mindedness and parental distress was fully mediated by conflict in both groups, and partially mediated by closeness in the clinical group. Negative mind-mindedness had a direct effect on parental distress, not mediated through relationship quality. Findings indicate that more positive and less negative mind-mindedness provides a buffer against parental distress. Interventions enhancing mind-mindedness are likely to alleviate parental distress and improve parent–child relationships. The findings are consistent with the proposal that mind-mindedness is a relational construct rather than a trait-like quality of the caregiver.