Pathways From Marital Satisfaction to Mindful Parenting: Divergent Mediating Roles of Self‐Compassion for Mothers and Fathers

ABSTRACT Objective Based on the Family Systems Theory and the Conservation of Resources Theory, this study explores how parents' marital satisfaction is associated with their mindful parenting and the differential mediating role of self‐compassion in this cross‐spousal and intrapersonal relationship. Background Parents' mindful parenting is critical to children's psychological and behavioral health. Most prior studies on its antecedents used cross‐sectional designs, focused on individual parents, and neglected spousal mutual influences and gender‐specific mechanisms, gaps this study addresses. Method Valid data from 651 parent pairs (fathers: M age = 35.17, SD age = 5.55; mothers: M age = 33.69, SD age = 5.17) were collected via questionnaires (marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, mindful parenting) at three 1‐year interval time points; a longitudinal actor‐partner interdependence mediation model was used for analysis. Results Parents' marital satisfaction positively predicted their own and their partners' mindful parenting; notably, this association was direct for fathers, whereas for mothers it was indirect through both their own and their partners' self‐compassion. Conclusion This study indicates that marital satisfaction is a significant predictor of parents' mindful parenting and reveals the gender‐differentiated mediating role of self‐compassion in this relationship. Implications The findings clarify the role of marital satisfaction and self‐compassion in mindful parenting and inform gender‐specific family interventions: practitioners can guide couples to reflect on positive marital events and conduct self‐compassion training to support parents' mindful parenting.