Internet-based mindfulness and compassion program reduces parental burnout

At 9 months, IBAP-BP showed greater reduction in burnout scores than waitlist (mean difference 0.62 on the Parental Burnout Assessment, Cohen d≈0.6), a moderate effect size sustained over follow-up. However, IBAP-BP did not significantly outperform the active control, which itself showed transient improvements through 3 months. Of 593 randomized, 343 completed at least one postbaseline assessment; self-reported adverse events were rare and mild across both active groups. The culturally adapted program proved feasible and safe, though mediation analyses suggested mindfulness facets did not consistently predict the improvements observed.

The modified intention-to-treat analysis included 343 participants who provided follow-up data, reflecting real-world engagement challenges in teleworked, internet-delivered interventions. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the 9-month superiority over waitlist was robust across modeling approaches. Notably, the active control condition (relaxation and reflective journaling) produced substantial early improvement—up to 3 months—suggesting that structured, guided self-care itself may be the active ingredient; mindfulness-specific mechanisms were not statistically confirmed. Subgroup outcomes by sociodemographic factors were not separately detailed, limiting generalizability to non-teleworking or non-working mothers. The program's scalability in low- and middle-income settings is a major strength, but the lack of differentiation from a simpler control limits confidence in whether mindfulness-compassion content specifically drives benefit, or whether time, structure, and guided attention suffice.