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Meditating Together
Mindful Awareness and Parenting Stress (MAPS) Project

What is MAPS?

The MAPS Project was developed to examine whether Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, or MBSR, is effective in reducing stress and promoting mental health among parents of children with developmental delays. Along with this, the MAPS Project also sought to understand how parents and children behave and interact and how these processes influence children's development. The goal of the intervention was to help parents cope with high levels of stress that accompany raising a child with developmental delays while optimizing their development.

Summary of Findings

Learn about some of the findings from this study by clicking the images below.

MBSR reduced both perceived and physiological stress.

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MBSR was effective at improving the mental health of Latino and non-Latino families of children with developmental delays.

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MBSR had a positive impact on child social skills and parent-child relationships.

MAPS Project Publications and Presentations

Peer-Reviewed Publications

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Chan, N., Sanner, C. M., McGregor, H. A., Preston, A. E., & Neece, C. L. (2021). Anxiety in a Preschool-Aged Sample with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Delay: Rates, Symptom Manifestation, and Parenting Risk Variables. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(2), 202-224.

 

McGregor, H. A., Sanner, C. M., & Neece, C. L. (2020). Effects of a MBSR Parent Intervention on Internalizing Problems in Children: ASD Status as a Moderator. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities.

 

Sanner, C. M., McGregor, H. A., Preston, A. E. and Neece, C. L. (2020). The effect of parent personality on the acquisition and use of mindfulness skills during an MBSR Intervention.  International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities. 59, 135-161

 

Luu, S., & Neece, C. L. (2019). Moderating parenting stress in ethnic minority parents of children with developmental delays. Early Child Development and Care, 189(3), 441-449.

 

Roberts, L.R., Boostrom, G., Dehom, S., & Neece, C.L. (2019).  Self-reported parenting stress and cortisol awakening response following an MBSR intervention for parents of children with developmental delays. Biological Research in Nursing. 22(2), 217-225.

 

Neece, C.L., Chan, N.L., Roberts, L., Klein, K., Fenning, R. (2019). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Parents Children with Developmental Delays: Understanding the Experiences of Latino Families. Mindfulness. 10(6), 1017-1030.

 

Chan, N. & Neece, C. L. (2019). Parenting stress and emotion dysregulation among children with developmental delays: The role of parenting behaviors. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 27 (12), 4071-4082.

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Sanner, C. M., & Neece, C. L. (2018). Parental distress and child behavior problems: Parenting behaviors as mediators. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27, 591-601.

 

Dennis, M. L., Neece, C. L., & Fenning, R.M. (2017). Investigating the influence of parenting stress on child behavior problems in children with developmental delay: The role of parent-child relational factors.  Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 1-13.

 

Davis, A. L., & Neece, C. L. (2017). An examination of specific child behavior problems as predictors of parenting stress among families of children with pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 10(3), 163-177.

 

Chan, N., & Neece, C.L. (2017). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Parents of Children with Developmental Delays: A Follow-Up Study. Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 3(1), 16-29.

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Neece, C. L., & Lima, E. J. (2016). Interventions for parents of people with intellectual disabilities. Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 3, 124-128.

 

Roberts, L. R., & Neece, C. L. (2015). Feasibility of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Intervention for Parents of Children with Developmental Delays. Issues in mental health nursing, 36(8), 592-602.

 

Lewallen, A. C., & Neece, C. L. (2015). Improved Social Skills in Children with Developmental Delays After Parent Participation in MBSR: The Role of Parent–Child Relational Factors. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1-13.

 

Robinson, M., & Neece, C. L. (2015). Marital Satisfaction, Parental Stress, and Child Behavior Problems among Parents of Young Children with Developmental Delays. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 8(1), 23-46.

 

Xu, Y., Neece, C.L., Parker, K. (2014). Parental Depression and Child Behavior Problems in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Examining Pathways of Influence. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 7, 126-143.

 

Neece, C. L. (2014). Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction for Parents of Young Children with Developmental Delays: Implications for Parental Mental Health and Child Behavior Problems. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 27(2), 174-186.

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