A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
A Lived Experience of Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP). A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Teräsahjo, Timo; Herkama, Sanna; Salmivalli, Christina; Lahtinen, Oskari
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Article number: 13591045261422590
ISSN: 1359-1045
eISSN: 1461-7021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045261422590
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045261422590
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/515753999
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Mentalizing, or the ability to understand the mental states underlying oneself and others’ overt behaviors, is crucial in parenting due to its association with favorable child development outcomes. This study introduces a new tool, the Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP), and investigates its potential to enhance parental mentalizing through qualitative analysis. Six parents of young children were interviewed to explore their lived experiences with MBMP using descriptive phenomenological analysis. The individual experiences were categorized into four main content areas: (1) The Experience of Mind Check: Observing internal states; (2) Power of Positivity: Recalling positive interactions; (3) Living Through Difficulties: Reflecting on challenging interactions; (4) Telling and Retelling: Describing the child from the parent’s perspective. The study discusses the key experiences stimulated by MBMP and its potential for enhancing parental mentalizing.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |
Funding information in the publication:
This work was supported by the Academy of Finland through the INVEST Research Flagship (decision 369118).