Abstract
Preventive interventions with parents of infants have tended to focus on mothers. Recent research focused on fathers suggests that their involvement in interventions might enhance effectiveness. One effective approach with mothers is the brief, home-based Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting (VIPP). This paper is a report of a pilot study of VIPP with fathers to assess its feasibility.Five fathers were recruited from an existing longitudinal study of parents. The primary outcome was acceptability, assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire after completion of the intervention.All fathers completed all sessions of the intervention. Fathers rated the intervention as having had a significant impact on their understanding of their child’s thoughts and feelings, and as having improved their communication and relationship with their baby. Fathers’ feedback was generally positive. The flexibility to conduct sessions at home (or at fathers’ places of work) and the flexible timing of sessions were identified as fundamental to successful delivery.The results of this pilot study are encouraging, as VIPP with fathers was feasible. In light of the modest sample size, and the use of a non-clinical sample, the intervention must be evaluated with larger, clinical samples to evaluate its efficacy with fathers.
Highlights
There is accumulating evidence that interventions early in children’s lives can prove effective in preventing the occurrence of a range of problems, including behavioural problems, emotional disorders and attachment difficulties (Shaw & Gross, 2008)
Consecutive fathers with new young children were approached from an existing longitudinal study of parents and children
All five fathers completed all of the intervention sessions
Summary
There is accumulating evidence that interventions early in children’s lives can prove effective in preventing the occurrence of a range of problems, including behavioural problems, emotional disorders and attachment difficulties (Shaw & Gross, 2008) This contention is borne out by evidence from trials that have tested interventions with parents of young children or with. These are common, affecting approximately 5% of children (Moffitt & Scott, 2008; Scott, 2008) They have long-term significance, as children with established behavioural problems have much worse outcomes across a wide range of domains of functioning in adolescence and adult life. As well as the considerable unhappiness and morbidity experienced by the young person and their family, enormous costs are incurred by society through the health, social care and criminal justice systems (Campbell, 1995; Scott, Knapp, Henderson, & Maughan, 2001)
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