Mastery of Behavioral Parent Training skills by parents with low income: The role of mindful attention

Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) is the standard of care for early-onset Behavior Disorders which disproportionately affect children from low-income households. However, BPT's effectiveness varies among families, highlighting the need to understand predictors of treatment progress and outcomes. Past research suggests that parent mindfulness may improve treatment response, and researchers have adapted BPT to target mindfulness with mixed results. This study examined the link between parent self-reported mindful attention and observed skill mastery in a sample of 101 low-income families during a BPT program. Results show that parents with greater mindful attention achieved higher levels of skill mastery; however, this varied by aspect of skill mastery and timepoint. Findings support further study of mindfulness-adapted BPT for tailored treatment programs consistent with a precision medicine approach. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.