ABSTRACT
Understanding factors that are related to engagement in health behaviors during a health emergency is critical. Positive psychology interventions have been shown to increase positive emotion toward others and the self;enhancing feelings of self-worth might, in turn, increase adherence to health behaviors. This may be particularly important for parents of young children who are reported as having significant levels of stress and anxiety during the pandemic. Herein, we investigated the long-term effects of a personal savoring control versus a relational savoring intervention on mothers' adherence to health recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mothers (N = 61) who participated in the intervention and had agreed to continue to be contacted for further participation reported their adherence to COVID-19-related health recommendations through an online survey after the onset of the pandemic. We also assessed basic demographics, perceived threat of the pandemic, and general anxiety. As expected, independent of a host of demographic variables, perceived threat, and anxiety, mothers who had participated in the relational savoring intervention also demonstrated higher levels of adherence to COVID-19-related health recommendations. Even years after the initial intervention, relational savoring practices seem to enhance the use of appropriate health behaviors during the pandemic. There are various explanations for this, and further investigation is needed to pinpoint how relational savoring affects mechanisms that underlie positive engagement with health recommendations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Public Significance Statement Positive psychology interventions can influence adherence to recommendations. Promoting connection and community with close ones may be a strategy to promote engagement with health behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Rates of mental health difficulties are high among refugees and asylum seekers who are parents, which makes their family members vulnerable to further negative outcomes such as behavioural problems or withdrawal. Maternal health and responsive parenting can stimulate the well-being of family members. However, displaced parents may fail to fulfil this role due to their own personal emotional issues. This current study is the first trial that tested the acceptability and feasibility of a remote multi-component parenting intervention for refugees and asylum seekers: Learning Through Play and EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol. The study was a single-arm feasibility trial with an embedded qualitative component, and took place in the UK. We recruited caregivers of children under three years of age and offered eight sessions of a remote group Learning Through Play parenting intervention and Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (LTP+ EMDR G-TEP). We administered assessments, including the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, International Trauma Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, followed by qualitative interviews. Of the 16 participants approached, 14 consented and were eligible to participate. Both qualitative and quantitative results showed the acceptability and feasibility of the intervention based on a recruitment rate of 88% of eligible participants and a 78% attendance rate for all sessions. Participants showed improvements in all outcome measures, an increase in parental self-esteem and a reduction in mental health symptoms. Findings also suggest that remote interventions are promising as a scalable approach for displaced families.
ABSTRACT
In-person supports for parents of young children with developmental delay were closed in spring of 2020 in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When services were disrupted, our team of social workers and psychologists were working with families in the community as part of a research program promoting positive parenting, healthy family adjustment, and behavioral support to children with developmental delay. This chapter focuses on our shift from in-person, group-based parenting classes to the delivery of telehealth parenting classes for families with young children with special needs. In this chapter we outline 20 lessons learned from our experiences examining the impact of the pandemic on families’ lives and services provided to children with special needs. We discuss not only the decisions made but also the successes and failures experienced during the process of shifting our family-centered services from in-person to telehealth. This chapter outlines practical strategies for social workers and other mental health providers who offer early family-centered supports to caregivers whose young children have developmental delay and/or disabilities. Throughout the chapter, we offer concrete examples to inspire professionals during the pandemic and beyond. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
ABSTRACT
Black children join kinship care disproportionately and black kin caregivers often face financial, housing, mental health, and parenting challenges when caring for relative children. Few interventions have been developed specifically for kin caregivers, let alone Black kin caregivers. This study evaluated the initial acceptability of an evidence based parenting intervention and worked to culturally adapt it for Black kin caregivers. The intervention was delivered in a family camp format. Feedback from participant interviews were analyzed for this study. Participants felt that overall the intervention was culturally appropriate. However, they also proposed changes to the curriculum, as well as to the process and format of the intervention. This study experienced challenges in terms of participant recruitment and sample size, which was exacerbated by COVID-19-related safety concerns. Future steps regarding recruitment, content, and format are discussed. Implications for child welfare practice, policy, and research are also provided.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can have far reaching negative impact on both maternal mental health and child growth and development. Multimodal group parenting programs have been shown to improve maternal mental health symptoms however, they are often costly to provide and not accessible to many mothers, especially those mothers suffering from mental health symptoms. Therefore, the authors sought to answer the following question by undertaking a systematic review of the literature: are parenting interventions aimed at improving maternal-child interaction also a way to address mental health symptoms (i.e. depression, anxiety, stress) in mothers? METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. An online platform that supports the systematic review process and quality assessment according to Cochrane guidelines, Covidence, was used in conjunction with an adapted extraction tool to identify relevant studies and extract data for analysis. RESULTS: 11 articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. There was great heterogeneity between study interventions and measurement of outcomes for maternal mental health symptoms which precluded meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: Studies reviewed did not demonstrate consistent evidence to recommend that parenting interventions leads to improvement in maternal mental health symptoms for depression, anxiety or stress. However, there was evidence that participating in parenting programs does not worsen these symptoms and some encouraging evidence that alternative delivery methods, beyond face to face, could, with more research, lead to more financially feasible and sustainable models of delivery of these types of interventions in the future.
Subject(s)
Mental Health , Mothers , Parenting , Anxiety , Female , Humans , Mother-Child Relations , Mothers/psychologyABSTRACT
Having access to parenting interventions in the early years is key to improve the developmental outcomes of children with neurodevelopmental problems. The Incredible Years® (IY) Parent Program is a group intervention that has demonstrated efficacy in terms of reducing stress in parents, as well as improving behavioral, emotional, and social outcomes in children. The program has been recently adapted for families of children with autism or language delays (IY-ASLD®). This intervention has not yet been implemented in the Spanish Public Health System, where there is a scarcity of evidence-based interventions being offered to families with young children presenting neurodevelopmental problems. The main aims of this study are to determine the feasibility of implementing the IY-ASLD® program within Spanish Child Mental Health Services and to examine parents' acceptability and satisfaction with the intervention. As a secondary objective, we aim to evaluate its preliminary effectiveness in terms of reducing parental stress and behavioral difficulties in their children. The FIRST STEPS study is a multicenter, pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the IY-ASLD® program with a treatment-as-usual (TAU) condition. Approximately 70 families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and preterm children with communication and/or socialization difficulties (aged 2-5 years) will be recruited. Families will be assessed prior to randomization and after the intervention. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the intervention will consist of 22 weekly online sessions (approximately 6 months). The FIRST STEPS pilot trial will demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of reliably implementing the IY-ASLD® program within the Spanish Public Health System. The results of this study could represent the first step to inform policymakers in Spain when designing evidence-based healthcare pathways for families of children presenting ASD symptoms or neurodevelopmental difficulties at early stages. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04358484 . Registered on 04 April 2020.