The ripple effect: Examining the impact on parents of an Abecedarian early child care intervention in an urban social housing development.

The Abecedarian Approach is an internationally recognised early childhood intervention program that has shown long-term positive outcomes for children living in low SES communities. However, there are few studies examining the broader influence of such interventions for young children on the lives of their parents. This article describes the findings of a qualitative study exploring the perceptions and experiences of parents whose children attend an Abecedarian early intervention program located in an urban social housing complex. Eighteen parents whose children had attended the program for a minimum of one year were interviewed. The main themes that emerged were: strengthened relationships between parents and program staff, as well as between parents themselves, particularly supported through the home visitor; increased awareness among parents about early development and of their role in supporting child development; and opportunities for parents' personal growth. The findings suggest that high quality early child intervention programs, such as the Abecedarian Approach, can positively impact the lives of parents.

Prevalence of mental disorders and torture among Tibetan refugees: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Many Tibetan refugees flee Tibet in order to escape physical and mental hardships, and to access the freedoms to practice their culture and religion. We aimed to determine the prevalence of mental illnesses within the refugee population and determine the prevalence of previous torture reported within this population. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of 10 electronic databases from inception to May 2005. In addition, we searched the internet, contacted all authors of located studies, and contacted the Tibetan Government-in-exile, to locate unpublished studies. We included any study reporting on prevalence of mental illness within the Tibetan refugee populations. We determined study quality according to validation, translation, and interview administration. We calculated proportions with exact confidence intervals. RESULTS: Five studies that met our inclusion criteria (total n = 410). All studies were conducted in North India and 4 were specifically in adult populations. Four studies provided details on the prevalence of torture and previous imprisonment within the populations. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder ranged from 11-23%, anxiety ranged from 25-77%, and major depression ranged from 11.5-57%. CONCLUSION: Our review indicates that the prevalence of serious mental health disorders within this population is elevated. The reported incidence of torture and imprisonment is a possible contributor to the illnesses. Non-government organizations and international communities should be aware of the human rights abuses being levied upon this vulnerable population and the mental health outcomes that may be associated with it.