Cultural adaptations of evidence-based family interventions to strengthen families and improve children's developmental outcomes

Abstract

Evidence-based parenting and family interventions are effective in improving parenting skills, positive parent–child relations and children's developmental outcomes. Programmes based on “principles of effective prevention” do not prove that a programme works. Evidence-based programmes (EBPs) are programmes tested in multiple randomized control trials by different researchers and producing large effect sizes. Hence, selecting a family EBP that best matches the local family needs and culturally adapting is the best route to positive family outcomes versus creating a new unproven programme. Lists of EBPs include the author's recent UNODC worldwide search and www.strengtheningfamilies.org. This article includes recommendations for culturally adapting and implementing a family EBP in diverse cultures plus lessons learned from dissemination of the author's Strengthening Families Programme (SFP) to 22 countries. These include ideas for developing local and international partnerships, language translations, developing new training systems and materials, and funding support from developed nations for the implementation and evaluation.