Empower Parents Research Articles

"It's Really Complicated": Engaging Key Stakeholders to Inform a Novel Parent-led Sexual Health Education Program for Autistic Youth.

Autistic adolescents frequently encounter difficulties in managing changes associated with puberty, sexuality, and relationships, and parents may be a useful source of sexual and reproductive health education (SRE) for this population. Despite this, few evidence-based programs exist to support parents in this role. Thus, there is a need for the development of such programs, particularly those incorporating the lived experiences of key stakeholders. The present qualitative investigation aimed to determine the SRE needs of autistic youth and to inform a novel, parent-led SRE program. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with two rounds of focus groups with two stakeholder groups: parents of autistic children (N = 4) and adult autistic self-advocates (N = 4). Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The research team conducted rapid qualitative analysis on all four transcripts, and major findings were summarized and triangulated across groups. Four overarching themes were identified: "Empower parents as educators," "Individualize supports and education," "Consider cultural and intersecting identities," and "Prioritize safety." Parents can serve a primary role in providing SRE to autistic youth and would likely benefit from participating in a tailored program that prioritizes safety and considers the influence of culture and other aspects of identity on content delivery. Future research on the implementation of such a program is needed.

Project LISTEN: Foundations and Development of a Peer Empowerment Program for Caregivers of Children with Variations of Sex Characteristics

AbstractNearly 2% of the population is born with intersex traits or variations of sex characteristics (VSC). Marginalization of people with VSC whose experience of social isolation and stigma can lead to mental health challenges and low degrees of medical and self-empowerment. Infants and children with VSC rely on caregivers to make decisions which impact their medical and social-emotional wellbeing. Interview recordings were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and generated four preliminary themes that will be used to develop a logic model to inform the development of a novel peer-empowerment intervention: (1) the isolating and overwhelming experience of learning about child’s VSC; (2) caregivers desire early access to education and information; (3) connecting with peer support provides reassurance and lessens stigma; (4) developing skills of communication and advocacy help empower parents. Features of post-traumatic growth were endorsed by caregivers. In partnership with an advisory group of stakeholders, findings from this study will be used to develop a logic model of the psychological, social, and environmental determinants that our intervention will target to improve health and quality of life outcomes for new parents of children with VSC. Project LISTEN (Let Intersex Stories Teach, Enlighten, and Nurture) applies the concepts of epistemic justice and health liberation to support, educate, and empower caregivers of children with VSC. Clinical social workers are ideal champions for peer empowerment programs that work to develop critical consciousness in those who have been socially marginalized.

Lived Experiences of Parenting Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth: Implications for Clinical Social Work Practice

AbstractTransgender and gender non-conforming (TGNC) youth are the focus of media attention, policy and practice changes, and multidisciplinary research. Due to their disproportionate risk of self-harm, depression, and suicidality, family support of TGNC youth is a key focus. Despite growing community awareness, TGNC children, and their families, continue to navigate a complex myriad of challenges, including at an individual, family, community, and societal level. Parents are likely influenced by their child’s TGNC identity however little is known about how this parenting experience is perceived and navigated, with most research exploring the TGNC person’s perspective. Using qualitative photovoice methodology, this study explored the lived experience of raising a TGNC child from the parent perspective. Eight Australian parents of a TGNC young person aged between 10 and 18 years participated in an in-depth interview guided by their chosen photographs as the stimulus. Thematic analysis identified five key findings: 1. crossing the threshold: finding out and figuring it out; 2. changing and adapting; 3. same but different: attachment and family dynamic; 4. letting go and holding on; and 5. finding a path forward. Findings suggest complex psychosocial impacts on parenting. Recommendations include targeted support for parents that addresses grief, social isolation, career stress, and access to relevant information and services. Clinical social workers can play a vital role in supporting parents of TGNC children by providing trauma informed responses that recognise disenfranchised grief, acknowledge socioemotional impacts, and empower parents with appropriate resources to meet their needs, and those of their TGNC child.

Investigating the Relationship of Parental Factors, Negligence and Language Delay among Children for Speech and Language Centers in the United Arab Emirates: A Literature Review

The involvement of parents in the treatment process is essential for the child to achieve language developmental outcomes. This literature delves into the intricate relationship between parental factors, negligence and language delay of children in the United Arab Emirates. This is intended for reference by Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) to help them analyze the specific parental factors that may contribute to the development or exacerbation of language delay in children. The findings of this review are substantial, disentangling modifiable parental factors such as socioeconomic status of parents, their education level, family structure and their involvement in their child’s education and activities significantly impact children’s communication development and well-being. This paper review examines a notable association between parental negligence and increased screen time for children, emphasizing the importance of parental supervision in managing screen exposure. The implications of this encourage educational programs from government and private institutions and empower parents and Speech and Language Therapists (SLT’s) to foster positive language development in children. Recommendations include sensitivity and comprehensive approach considering cultural, parental, and environmental factors.

What works, how and in which contexts when supporting parents to implement intensive speech and language therapy at home for children with speech sound disorder? A protocol for a realist review

IntroductionSpeech and language therapists (SLTs) worldwide report challenges with providing recommended, evidence-based intervention intensity for children with speech sound disorder (SSD). Challenges such as service constraints and/or family contexts impact...

Parental rights or parental wrongs: Parents' metacognitive knowledge of the factors that influence their school choice decisions.

School choice initiatives-which empower parents to choose which schools their children attend-are built on the assumptions that parents know what features of a school are most important to their family and that they are capable of focusing on the most important features when they make their decisions. However, decades of psychological research suggest that decision makers lack metacognitive knowledge of the factors that influence their decisions. We sought to reconcile this discrepancy between the policy assumptions and the psychological research. To do so, we asked participants to complete Choice-Based Conjoint surveys in which they made series of choices between different hypothetical schools. We then asked participants to self-report the weight they placed on each attribute when making their choices. Across four studies, we found that participants did not know how much weight they had placed on various school attributes. Average correlations between stated and revealed weights ranged from r = .34-.54. Stated weights predicted different choices than revealed weights in 16.41-20.63% of decisions. These metacognitive limitations persisted regardless of whether the participants were parents or non-parents (Study 1a/1b), the nature of the attributes that participants used to evaluate alternatives (Study 2), and whether or not decision makers had access to school ratings that could be used as metacognitive aids (Study 3). In line with prior psychological research-and in contract to policy assumptions-these findings demonstrate that decision makers do not have particularly strong metacognitive knowledge of the factors that influence their school choice decisions. As a result, parents making school choice decisions are likely to seek out and use the wrong information, thus leading to suboptimal school choices. Future research should replicate these results in more ecologically valid samples and test new approaches to school choice that account for these metacognitive limitations.

Early Detection of Caries and Efforts to Prevent Dental Caries in Retardation Mental Children Through Empowering Teachers and Parents at SLB BC Optimal Surabaya

Dental caries is a disease of the hard tissue of the teeth which is characterized by tissue damage, starting from the tooth surface, starting from the enamel, dentin, and extending to the pulp. Dental caries in mentally retarded people is in the moderate category. The data update for SLB BC Optimal Surabaya in 2021 revealed that 100% of the mentally disabled experienced dental caries. Dental caries in mentally retarded children can be prevented by their parents and teachers. Their involvement is very important to achieve optimal dental health in mentally retarded children. The method used is: Starting from permits to partners, target preparation, community service team, materials, tools and materials needed. Providing physical assistance to parents and teachers in the form of tools/materials to support oral physiotherapy and tools/materials to detect dental caries. Training/Counseling on the consequences of dental caries if no treatment is carried out and how to prevent dental caries, definition of dental caries, causes of dental caries, process of dental caries, how to detect early dental caries. The results of the community service activities that have been carried out have obtained the following results: Module for early detection of dental caries and prevention of dental caries. There is an increase in knowledge of dental caries and prevention of dental caries for teachers and parents at SLB BC Optimal Surabaya from 51.2% to 80%. There is an increase The attitude of parents and teachers about dental caries was 65.7% negative. After training, the positive attitude of parents and teachers regarding dental caries was 71.4%. There was an increase in respondents' skills in early detection of caries from 25% to 80%. There was an increase in parents' and teachers' skills regarding preventing dental caries from 15% to 63%.

Home-School Collaboration for Adolescents with Poor Wellbeing: A Qualitative Study of Parents’ Experiences

Semi-structured interviews of three fathers and nine mothers (aged 35–50) explore how parents experienced interacting with school personnel concerning their child’s wellbeing (aged 11–17). Through a thematic narrative analysis, two contrasting, intertwined narratives (collaboration and non-collaboration) were constructed. When characterized by appreciation, mutuality, and dynamics, interaction (collaboration) has the capacity to promote positive development and empower parents. Conversely, when characterized by rejection, neglect, and stagnation, interaction (non-collaboration) might impair development and leave parents in despair. To establish and maintain constructive home-school collaboration, we recommend a family-centered approach that addresses adolescents’ needs and acknowledges parents’ perspectives.

PROBLEMS OF PREVENTING THE SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT OF MISINFORMATION ON STUDENTS REQUIRING SPECIAL LEARNING CONDITIONS

In an era dominated by information and communication technologies, the pervasive influence of misinformation has become an issue of paramount concern. This article delves into the multifaceted challenges posed by misinformation and the dire socio-psychological consequences it imposes on this vulnerable student demographic. There is an attempt to understand the destructive impact of misinformation from a pedagogical and psychological point of view, to describe the influence of social media services children requiring special learning conditions use in their everyday lives.
 The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to comprehensively explore the intricate problems presented by the socio-psychological destructive impact of misinformation on students who need special learning conditions, and second, to offer insights and strategies for mitigating these issues. By shedding light on this critical intersection between misinformation and special learning conditions, it is aimed to provoke a broader discourse, raise awareness, and empower educators, parents, and policymakers to take action.

Collaboration: How does it work according to therapists and parents of young children? A systematic review.

Collaboration between therapists and parents of children with developmental disabilities is a key element of family-centred care. In practice, collaboration appears to be challenging for both parents and therapists. This systematic review aims to make explicit how therapists can optimise their collaboration with parents of young children with developmental disabilities, according to the perspectives of parents and therapists. A systematic review was conducted using the following databases: Medline (PubMed), CINAHL (OVID) and PsychINFO (OVID). Those papers were selected, which focused on collaboration using a two-way interaction between therapists and parents, exploring the perspectives of therapists and/or parents of children between 2 and 6years. Papers needed to be published in English or Dutch between 1998 and July 2021. Included papers were synthesised using a qualitative analysis approach by two researchers independently. Results sections were analysed line-by-line, and codes were formulated and discussed by all authors. Codes were aggregated, resulting in a synthesis of specific collaboration strategies in combined strategy clusters. The search generated 3439 records. In total, 24 papers were selected. Data synthesis resulted in an overview of specific strategies organised into five clusters: (1) continuously invest time in your collaboration with parents, (2) be aware of your important role in the collaboration with parents, (3) tailor your approach, (4) get to know the family and (5) empower parents to become a collaborative partner. This systematic review resulted in an overview of concrete strategies for therapists to use in their collaboration with parents of children with developmental disabilities. The strategies formulated enable therapists to consciously decide how to optimise their collaboration with each individual parent. Making these strategies explicit facilitates change of practice from therapist-led and child-centred towards family-centred care.

ADAM MOSSERI: CONSTRUCTING INSTAGRAM’S TOP DAD

Using a detailed content analysis of his public commentary, public social media posts, and captured ephemeral social media, this paper argues that Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri has strategically constructed a public persona as an active, engaged and concerned parent. While this parenting persona emerges from a relatively typical combination of professional and personal/parenting content, I argue this persona has been strategically developed to be leveraged as Meta pursues ‘Instagram Kids’ or other apps aimed at under13s which ostensibly empower parents as initial moderators of the children’s online experiences but are simultaneously rich sources of children’s personal data and activity, something of great monetizable value to Instagram and parent company, Meta.

The Effect of a Virtual Educational and Supportive Intervention on the Mothers’ Resilience with Preterm Infants: A Quasi-experimental Study

Background: Infants’ admission to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) leads to the psychological vulnerability of their mothers. Providing education and implementing supportive interventions can improve the quality of parental care of premature infants and empower parents. The presence and participation of parents in the care of preterm infants may improve parents’ resilience. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of a virtual educational and supportive intervention on the mothers’ resilience with preterm infants admitted to NICUs in 2020. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 100 mothers with preterm infants admitted to Afzalipour Hospital in Kerman in 2020. The participants were selected by purposive and convenience sampling and were divided into intervention and control groups using a random number table. The educational and supportive training intervention program was implemented for 2 weeks in the intervention group. However, the control group only received routine care. The data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: Resilience and all its dimensions showed significant improvements in the intervention group compared to their resilience before the intervention. The mean resilience scores in the intervention group were 57.62 ± 13.95 and 76.96 ± 08.07 before and after the intervention (P < 0.05). The mean resilience scores in the control group were 60.40 ± 14.41 and 62.70 ± 11.09 before and after the intervention (P > 0.05). Overall, the mean scores of resilience and its dimensions increased significantly in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Implementing a virtual educational and supportive intervention improved the resilience of mothers with preterm infants. Overall, this program can be used by nursing managers and nurses to provide supportive care for parents of premature infants to improve the quality of care in these wards. Further research can be done to examine the attitudes and experiences of health care workers in this field.

Enterobius Vermicularis Infection: A Cross-sectional Study in Preschool and School Children in the North-Western Part of Slovenia.

Enterobius vermicularis is a prevalent intestinal nematode. The objective of the research was to study enterobiasis prevalence in symptomatic children <15 years of age attending community health center in North - Western part of Slovenia in years 2017 - 2022. Perianal tape tests were performed on three consecutive days. The overall prevalence was 34.2 % (296 out of 864 children included). The mean age of children positive for E. vermicularis was 5.77 (95 % CI: 5.51 - 6.04) and 4.74 (95 % CI: 4.54 - 4.95), p<0.001 for children with negative test results. The positivity rate was not significantly different for boys compared to girls (boys 37.0 %, 95 % CI: 32.4 % - 41.8 %, girls 31.8 %, 95 % CI: 27.6 % - 36.2 %, p=0.107). The number of boys with all three samples positive in a sample set was higher compared to girls (p - value 0.002). Family size affected the positivity rate - the mean number of siblings was higher in positive children. Significant association with E. vermicularis infection was proven by the presence of anal pruritus and absence of abdominal discomfort. High E. vermicularis warrants careful monitoring of trends and public health response. It is necessary to encourage the use of hygiene measures in schools and empower parents to recognize enterobiasis timely.

Protocol for the Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial of Being a Parent- Enjoying Family Life (BAP-EFL): A peer-led group intervention for parents and caregivers with significant emotional and interpersonal difficulties

Group-format parenting interventions are well-established at reducing challenging child behavior and risk for psychopathology. However, there is significantly less evidence about the performance of these interventions for parents with significant emotional and interpersonal difficulties, including personality disorder. This protocol presents the rationale and design of a two-arm parallel group feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial and nested process evaluation of Being a Parent (BaP)- Enjoying Family Life, a novel peer-led intervention. The trial compares BaP-Enjoying Family Life to the well-established Empowering Parents Empowering Communities-Being a Parent (EPEC-Being a Parent) in a sample of parents who experience significant emotional and interpersonal difficulties and who are concerned about their child's, aged 2–11 years, behavior. 72 parents will be recruited and randomised to receive either BaP-Enjoying Family Life or EPEC-Being a Parent group-format interventions. The primary aim of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of BaP-Enjoying Family Life and the proposed trial methods. Secondary clinical outcomes include child behavioral difficulties, parenting, parental reflective function, parent wellbeing, satisfaction and self-efficacy. An observational assessment of parent and index child will also assess changes in the home environment. Outcome measures will be collected pre-intervention, post-intervention and at 6-month follow up. A parallel process evaluation will use qualitative data from interviews to assess parents' experience of the intervention delivery and trial methods. Findings will be evaluated against pre-determined feasibility criteria. The results will be used to determine the planning of a definitive clinical trial. The wider methodological and clinical implications are also discussed.

Following the amendment of the special education law in Israel: perception of the educational setting and parental mental health and stress

ABSTRACT Empowering parents of children with special needs emerges from supporting their decision-making processes and choices regarding the child's placement through legislation. The latest amendment of the Special Education Law in Israel aims to ensure the inclusion of students with special needs in the general education system, granting parents the option to decide on their child’s placement, and allocating budgets in accordance with the ‘funding follows the child’ principle. The purposes of this study were to investigate the differences in levels of satisfaction from the educational setting between the pre- and post-amendment groups, the differences in levels of parental stress, well-being and distress between the groups, and to predict parental well-being and distress. Parents completed an online survey, measuring parental satisfaction from the child's educational setting, mental health, and parental stress. Parents in the post amendment group believed that the educational setting was more suited to the child and contributed to the child academically, emotionally, and socially on a higher level compared to parents from the pre-amendment group. They also reported lower levels of distress than the pre-amendment group. Findings suggest the amendment promotes family-school system relationships, leading to higher levels of satisfaction and mental health and lower levels of stress.

Toward a digital child health booklet

Abstract Public health, paediatrics as well as other health professionals share the interest in providing services and improving conditions to ensure life-long health and well-being of children and adolescents. In this interprofessional setting and aim, parents are central partners, as are adolescents when they take over the responsibility of their own health. Ensuring the availability of health data for parents and adolescents at any given time and place is a key factor to empower and improve health management and literacy, providing continuity of health information along the care chain, and analysing health data of healthy and sick children is of high importance. The digital booklet will have a positive impact on sharing of health information among care professionals, thus ensuring continuity of care and limiting redundancy of investigation, and in addition provide data for public health research and monitoring of health and determinants. The Swiss Society of Paediatrics, the ZHAW/Institute of Public Health and the Kollegium of Hausarztmedizin (general practices) founded an association to digitalize the current paper child and adolescent health booklet with the aims: 1. Empower parents as ‘owners’ of health data to take responsibility and have greater autonomy in managing their child's health and illness 2. Provide a digital infrastructure for – low-threshold and reliable source of advice – easy update of data/information, digital communication with parents – sharing of data with professionals and non-professionals involved in care of child. 3. Monitoring of children's health data (parental consent provided) The speakers with present their collaboration and project, its current status, as well challenges and solutions found.

Parenting and Lead Mitigation at Home: A Multifaceted Community Partnership Model Promoting Parent Engagement in Lead Exposure Prevention.

Young children are at high risk of lead poisoning, which can damage early cognitive and behavioral development and have long-lasting impacts. Home environments are persistent sources of exposure for children in urban, low-income settings. Community-academic partnerships are essential for public health intervention strategies addressing residential household lead exposure, yet community organization staff and home visitors often experience strain and burnout. We describe Parenting and Lead Mitigation at Home, a multifaceted partnership project to (a) develop and implement a community-based, peer-delivered education program for parents of young children in neighborhoods at risk for home lead exposure and (b) support the home visitors delivering programming. We developed, delivered, and initially evaluated Lead 101, a lead-exposure prevention curriculum informed by the Community Organizing and Family Issues (COFI) model. The goals were to educate parents around lead exposure risks and empower parents to reduce their child's risk. We developed a novel Reflective Practice pilot curriculum designed to provide emotional support to peer educators and community organization staff who delivered home-based programming. We trained 11 peer educators who delivered Lead 101 to 62 families. We pilot-tested the Reflective Practice curriculum with five community organization staff. The implementation process and pilot evaluation data suggest increased parent knowledge and self-efficacy regarding mitigation of home-based lead hazards, and high satisfaction with reflective practice. Using this model to develop multifaceted partnerships among universities, community-based organizations, and focal communities may facilitate community-engaged program development for families and systematic support for individuals working directly with families, thereby indirectly promoting child health and well-being.

Parental and physician disagreement on help-seeking in paediatric case scenarios

ObjectiveWhenever a child falls ill, parents need to decide whether there is a need to contact medical professionals. Parental and physician perspectives on the severity of a child’s illness differ....

Texting: A simple path to building trust

Middle school brings rapid developmental changes for adolescents, and parent engagement is as essential as ever. However, what worked for parent-teacher partnerships in elementary school doesn’t fit so well in middle school. Adolescents are building their autonomy, and teachers must help empower parents’ efforts to bolster students as independent learners through academic socialization. The authors explore how a brief texting intervention might build trust between teachers and parents, empower parents to support their children, and contribute to students’ confidence and belonging in school. Results indicate that brief communications sent by text may bolster parent engagement efforts in middle school.

Tele-Rehabilitation Systems for Empowering Parents and Their Children with Disabilities in India - A SWOT Analysis of the Context for Implementation.

Persons with Disabilities (PWD) experience unmet needs related to health, rehabilitation, education, livelihood, social participation, and empowerment, particularly those living in a resource-poor context such as in the Indian context. The same applies to Children with Disabilities (CWD) as well. Given the pandemic restrictions imposed by the government of India, the provision of therapeutic rehabilitation services for PWDs and CWDs has come to a deadlock. Therefore, the PWDs and the parents of CWDs are substantially impacted by the double contextual burden of demand and access to rehabilitation services in India. However, there has been some light at the end of this dark tunnel provided by the existing telecommunication strategies. Both parents/caregivers and rehabilitation service providers started to find a way out of this situation on their own in India by optimizing their skills and resources for telerehabilitation. However, adopting this strategy requires evidence. Hence a critical Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the telerehabilitation strategy for empowering PWDs and CWDs in an Indian context is warranted and is of immense public health importance. A narrative review was conducted.Telerehabilitation has several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Telecommunication resources, Access to Rehabilitation services, Parent’s and consumer acceptance, Service efficiency, and data documentation could be considered as strengths; Skills, Competencies, Opportunity cost, Resource intensiveness, Evidence for Effectiveness, Comprehensibility could be considered as weaknesses; Therapy innovations, Evidence generation, System strengthening and Capacity Building could be considered as opportunities; Patient Safety, Ethical Integrity, Data security, and Professional practice insecurity could be considered as potential Threats to Telerehabilitation. Telerehabilitation has considerable scope for providing meaningful therapeutic experience and hastens the process of rehabilitation of CWDs in the current context. The SWOT and its implications must be kept in mind to ensure that CWDs receive the best quality continuum of care in the present context with utmost ethical and evidence-based considerations. This could bridge the gaps in access to rehabilitation services with sustainable solutions than patchy temporary solutions that are not sustainable.