A Lived Experience of Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP). A Phenomenological Study




Teräsahjo, Timo; Herkama, Sanna; Salmivalli, Christina; Lahtinen, Oskari

PublisherSAGE Publications

2026

 Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry

13591045261422590

1359-1045

1461-7021

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1177/13591045261422590

https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045261422590

https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/515753999



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.


This work was supported by the Academy of Finland through the INVEST Research Flagship (decision 369118).


Last updated on 11/03/2026 08:18:20 AM