Abstract
BackgroundRaising children in new social and cultural contexts can be challenging for parents. In order to help parents address these challenges, the Norwegian government has instituted a policy of mandatory parent training for families who settle in Norway as refugees. The Incredible Years (IY) and The International Child Development Programme (ICDP) have been widely adopted throughout Norway. They have similar aims: to improve parenting through positive parenting practices and development of attachment behaviors. We will evaluate the use of these programs and a measurement feedback system (MFS) to give regular feedback to interventionists about parents’ progress during the course of the parenting intervention.MethodsThe study is a mixed method, randomized factorial design aimed at evaluating the effect of parenting interventions and the use of feedback to address parental stress, child behavior, resilience, and parents’ mental health. Factor 1 is based on random assignment to one of the parenting interventions IY or ICDP. The parenting interventions are delivered over 15 weeks (IY) or 12 weeks (ICDP) in group-based settings. Factor 2 is based on random assignment of the parenting groups to the (a) with MFS or (b) without MFS condition. The MFS is answered weekly via a phone app, MittEcho, and results are sent to group leaders in the MFS condition. Additionally, the study explores the experiences of families settling in a new cultural context and participating with parenting programs via qualitative interviews. Participants will be recruited from a population of parents with children between the age of 6 and 12 years who settled in Norway as refugees within the previous 9 years. The target sample size is N = 360; n (IY) = 180, n (ICDP) = 180 families. This study is a collaboration between first-line, municipal services; their national governing agencies; family representatives; and a national network of research organizations.DiscussionThis study endeavors to provide information about what helps families with refugee background integrate successfully into new cultural contexts with different laws, norms, and expectations. Whether or not these interventions can help to normalize this experience, reduce stress, and provide parents with new tools to improve their parenting and the lives of their children are important questions which we address. These findings can lead to the further establishment of evidence-based practices in Norway.Trial registrationISRCTN35008070. Registered on February 24, 2020
Highlights
Background and rationale {6a} Raising children in new countries is challenging for most parents [1, 2]
This study endeavors to provide information about what helps families with refugee background integrate successfully into new cultural contexts with different laws, norms, and expectations. Whether or not these interventions can help to normalize this experience, reduce stress, and provide parents with new tools to improve their parenting and the lives of their children are important questions which we address. These findings can lead to the further establishment of evidence-based practices in Norway
Objectives {7} The primary aims of the present study are to evaluate the effectiveness of the Incredible Years (IY) and International Child Development Program (ICDP) parenting interventions for improving primary outcome measures of parenting skills, lowering parental stress, and reducing problem behavior in children
Summary
Background and rationale {6a} Raising children in new countries is challenging for most parents [1, 2]. Positive parenting coping strategies are demonstrated as protective factors to these child maladjustment risks [7, 8] Parenting interventions such as the Incredible Years (IY) and the International Child Development Program (ICDP) may be uniquely positioned to address this challenge. Both of these programs are widely implemented in social welfare and refugee services throughout Norway Both of these interventions involve a group-based environment to learn proactive parenting skills to improve the family climate and give parents positive skills to help guide their children. The Incredible Years (IY) and The International Child Development Programme (ICDP) have been widely adopted throughout Norway They have similar aims: to improve parenting through positive parenting practices and development of attachment behaviors. Question about: country of origin, ethnicity, Refugee situation, parenting challenges, moving, resettle, acculturation, level of trust, and challenges as refugees.
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