Lyu, RenhuiRenhuiLyuDr. TAN Yaqian, YannieYannieDr. TAN YaqianLu, ShuangShuangLuDai, XiaoluXiaoluDaiHu, HuiHuiHu2025-11-242025-11-242025Research on Social Work Practice, 2025.1049-73151552-7581http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11861/26173<jats:p> <jats:bold>Purpose:</jats:bold> This study evaluates the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of mindful parenting (MP) in modifying schema-driven parenting modes. <jats:bold>Methods:</jats:bold> Seventy-eight Chinese parents with parenting stress and adverse childhood experiences were randomly assigned to an 8-week MP intervention or a waitlist control group. Maladaptive schemas, parenting stress, and MP were assessed pre- and postintervention. <jats:bold>Results:</jats:bold> MP participants showed significant within-group reductions in total maladaptive schemas ( <jats:italic>d</jats:italic>  = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.04, 0.75]) and the Enmeshment subscale ( <jats:italic>d</jats:italic>  = 0.41, 95% CI [0.05, 0.76]). Compared with controls, they also showed greater decreases in parenting stress ( <jats:italic>d</jats:italic>  = 0.74, 95% CI [0.27, 1.20]) and improved emotional awareness ( <jats:italic>d</jats:italic>  =0.54, 95% CI [0.13, 0.95]). Qualitative findings showed that schema work influenced parenting by increasing awareness of schema activation, improving self-regulation, and fostering more adaptive responses to children. <jats:bold>Discussion:</jats:bold> MP appears to improve parent–child interactions by disrupting dysfunctional schema transmission. </jats:p>enMindful ParentingInterventionMaladaptive SchemasAdverse Childhood ExperienceRandomized Controlled TrialQualitative InterviewPeer Reviewed Journal Article10.1177/10497315251377045