Abstract
Objectives Family engagement in home visiting (HV), as indicated by length of enrollment, is a major challenge as most families do not stay enrolled for the intended duration prescribed by HV models. This study examined maternal and visitor emotional well-being as factors for maternal satisfaction with the program in addressing reasons for enrolling in HV and program engagement and the role of their working alliance with the visitor as a mediator of this. Methods Longitudinal data were collected from 148 mothers and 54 visitors in 21 HV programs. Mothers completed surveys shortly after enrolling and 6 months later to assess attributes of the working alliance with their visitor. Visitors completed a survey to assess work-related well-being. HV program data were used to measure engagement. Results Mothers enrolled for multiple, diverse reasons, most often to promote child development and parenting (96%). Mothers’ satisfaction with program efforts to address reasons for enrollment was highest for parenting (79%) and lowest for jobs and education (30%). Results of the mediational path model indicated that ratings of the visitor on goal alignment were positively associated with engagement. Maternal emotional availability and visitor work-related emotional exhaustion were negatively associated with engagement. Exploratory analyses suggested that ratings of the visitor on goal alignment were a stronger predictor of engagement for mothers with low emotional availability compared to other mothers. Conclusions for Practice Visitor alignment with mothers on goals and responsiveness to reasons for enrolling appear to be effective in promoting engagement. Individualizing services to reflect maternal goals and emotional capacity may be important strategies to address engagement challenges.
Highlights
Engagement continues to be an important issue facing home visiting field; studies find that most families do not receive the intended amount of services
This study investigated the associations among mother and visitor psychosocial characteristics, mothers’ ratings of the visitor on goal alignment, and satisfaction with program efforts to address their needs with length of enrollment
Mothers enrolled in home visiting for many reasons, were most satisfied with program efforts to address reasons related to parenting and child development and generally rated their visitors highly on goal alignment
Summary
Engagement continues to be an important issue facing home visiting field; studies find that most families do not receive the intended amount of services. Previous studies have documented attributes of visitors and families that are associated with HV engagement. This study extends previous investigations into attributes of mothers and visitors associated with HV engagement by considering mothers’ reasons for enrolling and their visitors’ alignment with and attention to these reasons. Most commonly defined as the length of enrollment or the frequency of home visits, has been a major challenge for home visiting (MIECHV TACC, 2015). Most evidence-based home visiting models intend to serve families for 2–3 years with intensive visit schedules and research suggests that engagement rates fall well below expectations. Because engagement remains a challenge, research to promote it is a national priority (Duggan et al 2013)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
