The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy in Improving Parent and Peer Attachment in Female Adolescents

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy in improving parent and peer attachment in female adolescents.

The study utilized a pretest-posttest design with a control group and a two-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of all second-grade high school students in Saveh County (Markazi province) who were studying in the school year of 2016-2017. Among them, 30 students (15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group) were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling and were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The research tool was the inventory of parent and peer attachment (Armsden and Greenberg, 1987). The students in the experimental group received eight sessions of mindfulness training, but the control group did not receive any experimental training.

The results of analysis of covariance, and repeated measures indicated that group mindfulness training was effective in improving parent and peer attachment in female adolescents and the effect was stable in the follow-up test. The research results indicated that mindfulness training increased communication and trust in parents and peers, and reduced alienation from parents and peers in female adolescents.

It seems that the intervention can be used as an independent method or in combination with other interventions for parent and peer attachment.