Abstract
BackgroundThe Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) has proven effective in increasing parental sensitivity. However, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. In a randomized controlled trial we examine parental neurocognitive factors that may mediate the intervention effects on parenting behavior. Our aims are to (1) examine whether the intervention influences parents’ neural processing of children’s emotional expressions and the neural precursors of response inhibition and to (2) test whether neural changes mediate intervention effects on parenting behavior.MethodsWe will test 100 mothers of 4–6 year old same-sex twins. A random half of the mothers will receive the VIPP-SD Twins (i.e. VIPP-SD adapted for twin families), consisting of 5 home visits in a 3-months period; the other half will receive a dummy intervention. Neurocognitive measures are acquired approximately 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the intervention. Mothers’ electroencephalographic (EEG) activity is measured while performing a stop signal task and in response to children’s facial expressions. To obtain a complementary behavioral measure, mothers also perform an emotion recognition task. Parenting behavior will be assessed during parent–child interactions at pre and post intervention lab visits.DiscussionOur results will shed light on the neurocognitive factors underlying changes in parenting behavior after a parenting support program, which may benefit the development of such programs.Trial registrationDutch Trial Register: NTR5312; Date registered: January 3, 2017.
Highlights
The Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) has proven effective in increasing parental sensitivity
The current protocol presents a randomized controlled trial in which we aim to examine the neurocognitive mechanisms through which intervention effects on parenting behavior might be established
A recent study has provided initial evidence that the neural processing of children’s emotional facial expressions may be responsive to behavioral intervention: Neural activity in response to emotional facial expressions was found to be different in Child Protective Services (CPS)-referred mothers who received an attachment-based intervention compared to a randomized control group [43]
Summary
We will test 100 mothers of 4–6 year old same-sex twins. A random half of the mothers will receive the VIPP-SD Twins (i.e. VIPP-SD adapted for twin families), consisting of 5 home visits in a 3-months period; the other half will receive a dummy intervention. Neurocognitive measures are acquired approximately 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the intervention. Mothers’ electroencephalographic (EEG) activity is measured while performing a stop signal task and in response to children’s facial expressions. To obtain a complementary behavioral measure, mothers perform an emotion recognition task. Parenting behavior will be assessed during parent–child interactions at pre and post intervention lab visits
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