Resource Gain or Stress Buffer? The Chain Mediation Path of Mindfulness in Relieving Parenting Burnout of Parents of Children with ADHD

Background Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often face persistent and intensive caregiving demands, which may increase their vulnerability to parental burnout. Based on Conservation of Resources theory, this study examined the association between mindfulness and parental burnout among parents of children with ADHD and investigated the serial mediating roles of psychological capital and parenting stress. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, this study tested a hypothesized serial mediation model with structural equation modeling (SEM). Mindfulness was specified as the independent variable, parental burnout as the outcome variable, and psychological capital and parenting stress as sequential mediators. Results The results showed that mindfulness was indirectly associated with parental burnout through three significant pathways: the independent mediating effect of psychological capital, the independent mediating effect of parenting stress, and the serial mediating effect of psychological capital and parenting stress. After the inclusion of the mediators, the direct association between mindfulness and parental burnout was no longer significant, indicating full mediation. Overall, mindfulness was associated with lower parental burnout primarily through higher psychological capital and lower parenting stress. Conclusions Psychological capital and parenting stress play important mediating roles in the association between mindfulness and parental burnout among parents of children with ADHD. These findings highlight a dual pathway of resource gain and stress buffering and provide empirical support for interventions targeting parental burnout through mindfulness-based approaches combined with psychological capital enhancement and parenting stress reduction.