Research topic
Evolving emotions: A critical analysis of mindful parenting as an affect regulation strategy
Biographical note
Kishani is a Registered Psychologist with 18 years of experience as a human resource professional and educational consultant. She is an Adjunct Research Fellow at The Cairns Institute and a PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide. Having lived in Africa, Asia, England and regional Australia, Kishani has a keen interest in cross-cultural psychology. Her research interests include resilience, prevention of family violence, cross-cultural psychology and epigenetics. Her clinical work specialises in providing a range of focused psychological strategies to treat depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, learning difficulties, grief and complex trauma. Recently, she has been working in Indigenous and refugee health.
Research outline
At the nexus of mindfulness and parenting lies the fusion of two influential yet contradictory epistemologies, the Eastern contemplative practices with the Western parenting research. This PhD dissertation investigated the effectiveness of mindful parenting programs in treating depression and anxiety. Ancient scholars, theologians and philosophers have debated for centuries about the nature of the mind. Yet, depression is the leading cause of disability across the world.
Aims
The primary aim of this dissertation was to explore how mindful parenting can be used as a therapeutic tool to facilitate emotional balance in both the child and the parent. More specifically the aims were:
1) To systematically review the international and national literature on the effectiveness of Mindful Parenting Programs (MPPs) in promoting children’s and parent’s wellbeing.
2) To examine effectiveness of a new Australian MPP called Caring For Body and Mind in Pregnancy (CBMP) in reducing perinatal depression, anxiety and stress amongst a sample of at risk pregnant women.
3) To identify the change processes utilized by MPPs to facilitate emotional balance.
4) To examine the temporal sequence of mediators that promote change in affect regulation.
Methodology
Three different methodologies were used to address the research aims. The first study was a systematic review which evaluated and synthesized the best available evidence on the effectiveness of MPPs. The core principles underpinning systematic reviews are rigor, transparency and replicability, which are achieved by following a fixed process. The second study was a repeated measures design to analyze a seven year dataset from an Australian maternity hospital. The third study used Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyze interviews with facilitators of MPPs. Finally the fourth study used structural equation modelling to analyze the mediators that promote change. The synthesis of quantitative with qualitative methodologies has produced a far more nuanced understanding of evolving emotions.
Supervisory team
Associate Professor Nerina Caltabiano
Dr Ros Powrie
Research interests
Resilience, Post-traumatic Growth, Mindfulness, Epigenetics Affect Regulation, Attention Regulation, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Mind-Body Techniques, Change Mechanisms, Early intervention and Prevention.
Qualifications
BSocSc (Psych) (Hons), GradDip (Psych), BSocSc, AMAPS
Society memberships
AMAPS, PBA, AHPRA
Publications
Townshend, K., Caltabiano, N. J., Powrie, R., & O’Grady, H. (2018). A preliminary study investigating the effectiveness of the Caring for Body and Mind in Pregnancy (CBMP) in reducing perinatal depression, anxiety and stress. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(5), 1556–1566. doi:10.1007/s10826-017-0978-z
Townshend, K., Jordan, Z., Peters, M., & Tsey, K. (2014). The effectiveness of mindful parenting programs in promoting parents’ and children’s wellbeing: A systematic review protocol. JBI Databases of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 12(11), 184-196.
Townshend, K., Jordan, Z., Stephenson, M., & Tsey, K. (2016). The effectiveness of mindful parenting programs in promoting parents’ and children's wellbeing: A systematic review. JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 14(3), 139-180.
Townshend, K. (2016). Conceptualizing the key processes of Mindful Parenting and its application to youth mental health. Australasian Psychiatry, 24(6), 575-577. doi: 10.1177/1039856216654392
Townshend, K., & Edney, J. (in press). Submission to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Response to Issues Paper 10: Advocacy, Support and Therapeutic Services 2015.
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0019-5277
Conference Presentations
Townshend, K., Caltabiano, N. J., Powrie, R., & O’Grady, H. (2018). A preliminary study investigating the effectiveness of the Caring for Body and Mind in Pregnancy (CBMP) in reducing perinatal depression, anxiety and stress. Paper presented at the International Mindfulness Conference, Amsterdam.
Townshend, K., Jordan, Z., Peters, M., & Tsey, K. (2015, April). A systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of mindful parenting programs in promoting children’s and parent’s wellbeing. Paper presented at the Mindful Families, Schools and Communities: Research-to-Practice Promoting Child Well-Being, Seattle, WA.
Townshend, K., Jordan, Z., Peters, M., & Tsey, K. (2015, May). Mind your parenting: A systematic review evaluating the effectiveness of mindful parenting programs, in developing parents’ and children’s wellbeing. Paper presented at the Creating Futures Conference 2015, Cairns, QLD.