Strengthening Parents' and Children's Wellbeing Through Positive Psychology: A Qualitative Study of Parents' Experiences of a Structured Training in Mindfulness and Character Strength

Abstract

AbstractFew studies have examined how positive psychology can be implemented in a family context. Further, there is a lack of qualitative research of participant's experiences of mindfulness and character strengths. This study examined how Flourishing Families, a structured training in mindfulness and character strengths, may improve parental wellbeing and family life. Data were gathered through questionnaires and a total of 37 parents participated. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to examine the parents' experiences. Three main themes arose from the analysis: positive, negative and ambivalent experiences. The results demonstrated that a majority of the parents experienced positive effects on their wellbeing, parenthood and family dynamics after the training. Some parents reported stress and performance anxiety while others were uncertain if they had benefited from the course. These findings offer insights into how individuals experience mindfulness and character strengths and shed light on some common obstacles with the practices. The results contribute to the positive psychology literature by offering insights into how parents build their wellbeing and grow as parents.