Intervention Program For Parents Research Articles

Iron deficiency anemia among infants: a retrospective cohort study

Postnatal iron deficiency, especially from ages 6 to 24 months, has long-term consequences lasting into adolescence and adulthood. We aimed to characterize iron deficiency anemia among infants from one central Israeli district by demographic and laboratory parameters. A retrospective chart review was performed on all infants from a single district who had undergone a complete blood count as part of a routine survey for iron deficiency anemia during 2010–2021. Data retrieved included hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume, and demographic features: sex, sector (non-ultraorthodox Jew, ultraorthodox Jew, and Arab), socioeconomic status, and type of residence. The study group comprised 101,650 infants, aged 9 to 18 months. Iron deficiency anemia, defined as a hemoglobin level <11 g/dL and mean corpuscular volume <70 fl was observed in 4296 (4.2%) of the study infants. Iron deficiency anemia was more prevalent among Arab and ultraorthodox Jewish infants, than non-ultraorthodox Jewish infants (6.6% vs. 6% vs. 3%, respectively). It was also more prevalent among infants of low socioeconomic status, and relatively common among infants of rural residence. We identified two specific sub-populations at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia: Arab and ultraorthodox Jewish infants. We recommend enhancing the nationwide intervention program for both clinicians and parents, thereby treating iron deficiency anemia promptly to avoid short- and long-term deleterious health consequences.

Sociodemographic predictors of parenting stress among mothers in socio-economically deprived settings in rural and urban Kenya and Zambia

Parental stress occurs when parenting demands exceed the resources available to cope with parenting. Previous research has identified household wealth, educational level, marital status, age, and number of dependent children as predictors of parental stress. However, limited evidence exists from sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the sociodemographic predictors of parenting stress among mothers in Kenya and Zambia. This cross-sectional study utilised baseline secondary data from parenting intervention programs implemented in Kisumu County (rural Kenya), Nairobi County (Urban Kenya), and Chisamba District (rural Zambia). Out of 913 caregivers recruited for the parenting program, 844 with complete data were included in the analysis. The mean age was 1.0 (SD = 0.7) years. Parental stress was measured using the Parental Stress Score (PSS) tool and demographic questionnaires were used to collect demographic information. Mean PSS were compared across study sites, and a multiple linear regression model was used to examine associations between sociodemographic predictors (household income, educational level, marital status, maternal age, child age, and number of children aged < 5 years) and PSS, adjusting for clustering and other predictors. From the results, the mean PSS in rural Kenya was 37.6 [SD = 11.8], in urban Kenya was 48.4 [SD = 4.2], and in rural Zambia was 43.0 [SD = 9.1]. In addition, the significant association between PSS and mothers’ income and educational level was only observed in Kenyan study sites (income: Kenya rural β = -0.40, p < 0.001**; Kenya urban, β = − 0.33, p = .02*; Zambia rural, β = − 0.01, p = 0.7) education: Kenya rural, β = − 0.25, p = .005**; Kenya urban, β = − 0.14, p = 0.07; Zambia rural, β = 0.04, p = 0.3). However, marital status, mother’s age, child’s age, and the number of children below five years were not associated with PSS. The results revealed that mothers’ income and education level were negatively associated with PSS, indicating that higher socioeconomic status can buffer the effects of parental stress.Trial registration Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/) database (ID Number: PACTR20180774832663 Date: 26/July/2018; (ID number: PACTR201905787868050 Date: 06/May/2019.

Parent-child communication about substance use, puberty, sex, and social media use among Hispanic parents and pre-adolescent children.

Previous research has noted that Hispanic pre-adolescents may be at an increased probability for engagement in risk-taking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore parent-child communication among Hispanic parents and 4th-6th grade children related to substance use, puberty, sex, and social media use. A qualitative descriptive design was used to examine Hispanic parents'/caregivers' communication with their children about substance use behaviors, pubertal developments, engagement in sexual risk behaviors, and social media use. The study included two components: four focus groups consisting of 23 children; five focus groups and one interview consisting of 24 adults. All were conducted until data saturation was reached. Parents and pre-adolescents were interviewed separately. Interviews with parents and pre-adolescents were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis techniques. The themes that emerged from the interviews were about children's feelings, parents' feelings, communication messages that children received from their parents, and information parents provided to their children during parent-child communication. The results indicate discrepancies between information that parents provided and information that the pre-adolescents reported. The results have implications for healthcare providers in that parents need to be better educated on communicating effectively with their pre-adolescents about risk-taking behaviors. Healthcare providers may help facilitate parent-child communication with Hispanic families. More research is needed to develop intervention programs for Hispanic parents to learn how to effectively communicate with their pre-adolescent children in a developmentally appropriate manner.

Development of a theory-based family resilience intervention program for parents of children with chronic diseases: A Delphi study

BackgroundLong-term illness exposes children with chronic diseases to a high risk of deterioration of physical and mental health. Developing an effective family resilience intervention program is a critical concern. ObjectiveTo develop a theory-based family resilience intervention program for parents of children with chronic diseases and provide a reference for clinical intervention. MethodsA two-phased research design, guided by the Walsh family resilience process model, was employed to develop the intervention program. In phase 1, a scoping literature review was conducted to identify the possible elements of family resilience interventions. In phase 2, a three-round Delphi survey was conducted with experts (n = 14) using an online electronic survey to obtain their consensus on the intervention content. ResultsThree main components were identified: (1) strengthening family beliefs, (2) adjusting the family organization pattern, and (3) improving the family communication process. And 8 modules were developed: “introducing adversity and family resilience”, “finding and strengthening positive family beliefs, and building confidence to live with the disease”, “analyzing and adjusting family structure”, “assisting families to increase and utilizing internal and external resources”, “optimizing communication skills”, “strengthening collaborative problem-solving capacity”, “enhancing the family narrative ability”, and “enhancing emotional expression”. After 3-round Delphi, the findings indicated that the intervention program is applicable and feasible for parents of children with chronic diseases in China. ConclusionThe principal merit of this study lies in the development of a family resilience intervention program for parents of children with chronic diseases. The intervention's usability and efficacy should be investigated in future studies. Implications to practiceDeveloping a family resilience intervention program is a critical first step toward providing effective care for parents of children with chronic diseases, and evaluating the program's feasibility and suitability in the target population is warranted.

Assessment of the Efficacy of an Effective Parenting Intervention Program for Parents with 2-to-6-years-old Children

Bu araştırmanın amacı 2-6 yaş aralığında çocuğu olan ebeveynlere yönelik, çocuk yetiştirme sürecinde etkili ebeveynlik becerilerini kazanmaları için bir müdahale programının geliştirilmesini ve bu programın etkililiğini test etmektir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda psikososyal özelliklere sahip olan bu program ebeveynler ile 6 hafta boyunca uygulanmıştır. Müdahale kapsamında, her hafta farklı bir konu ele alınmıştır. Ebeveynlere, çocuk gelişimine eşlik ederken gerekli olan teorik ve pratik konular anlatılmış ve ebeveynlerin soruları yanıtlanmıştır. Çalışmaya 2-6 yaşları arasında çocuğu olan toplam 90 ebeveyn (75 anne, 15 baba) katılmıştır. Müdahale programının etkililiğini değerlendirmek amacıyla ebeveynlere müdahaleden önce ve sonra Ebeveyn Tutumları, Çocuk Yetiştirme ve Olumsuz Duygularla ile Baş Etme ölçekleri uygulanmış, aynı zamanda müdahale grubunda yer alan ebeveynlere son test ölçümünde nitel sorular da sorulmuştur. Müdahale ve kontrol gruplarında ebeveyn tutumları, çocuk yetiştirme davranışları ve olumsuz duygularla baş etme stratejilerini değerlendiren ölçeklerin alt boyutlarında anlamlı farklılıklar olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Müdahale grubunun son testte, otoriter tutum, izin verici tutum, itaat bekleme ve küçümseyici tepki alt boyut puanlarının kontrol grubundan anlamlı şekilde düşük olduğu, duygu odaklı tepki ve duygu ifadesini kolaylaştıran tepki alt boyut puanlarının kontrol grubundan anlamlı şekilde yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. Nitel ve nicel verilerden elde edilen sonuçlar uygulanan bu programın etkililiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Relative Efficacy of Self-directed and Therapist-assisted Telehealth Models of a Parent-mediated Intervention for Autism: Examining Effects on Parent Intervention Fidelity, Well-being, and Program Engagement.

Although there is growing interest in telehealth to deliver parent-mediated intervention for autistic children, empirical evaluations are limited, and little is known regarding the relative benefits of self-directed and therapist-assisted telehealth interventions. This study examined the effect of self-directed and therapist-assisted ImPACT Online on parent learning and well-being, moderators of treatment, and predictors of program engagement. Sixty-four young autistic children and their primary caregiver participated. Children were matched on age and developmental quotient and randomly assigned to a therapist-assisted, self-directed, or resource support control group. Participants were assessed at intake, after 6 months (post), and at a 3-month follow-up. There was a significant treatment effect for parent learning for the therapist-assisted but not self-directed program; when analysis was limited to parents who completed the program, treatment effects were observed for both groups. There were no treatment effects for parent self-efficacy or parenting stress; however, there was an effect on parents' perception of their child's positive impact. Parenting stress did not moderate the effect of group on parent outcomes. Parent age, program satisfaction, and therapist assistance were all significant predictors of parent program engagement. This study supports the efficacy of therapist-assisted telehealth parent-mediated intervention for teaching parents intervention strategies to support their child's social communication and improving their perceptions of their child's positive impact, and suggests that self-directed programs may be beneficial for parents who fully engage with the program.

Parental Stress and Chinese American Preschoolers' Adjustment: The Mediating Role of Parenting.

Family contexts, such as parental stress and parenting practices, play critical roles in preschoolers' adjustment. However, these processes have been understudied in Chinese American families. The present study examined the associations between Chinese American mothers' experiences of two types of stress (i.e., general/contextual stress and parenting stress) and their preschoolers' socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems; in addition, the mediating roles of maternal psychologically controlling parenting and maternal warmth in these associations were assessed. Participants included 207 first-generation Chinese American mothers (Mage = 37.78 years, SDage = 4.36) and their 3- to 6-year-old children (Mage = 4.50 years, SDage = 0.90; 52% boys). Mothers reported on their levels of stress, psychologically controlling parenting, and warmth practices; teachers reported on child adjustment in the school setting. The results revealed that higher levels of general/contextual stress and parenting stress were each uniquely associated with more maternal psychologically controlling parenting practices, which in turn was associated with fewer socio-emotional and behavioral adjustment problems in children. Our findings can inform parenting intervention programs designed to improve Chinese American preschoolers' adjustment.

Family-Based Early Intervention Based on Family Outcomes for Families with Children with Multiple Disabilities

This study aims to formulate a family-based early intervention program for parents who have children with Multiple disabilities based on Family Outscomes. The background of this study is the lack of family information related to the identification of children with multiple disabilities, family confusion in handling children who experience multiple disabilities, and the absence of family confidence in the situation of their children in the social environment. The subjects in this study were parents who had Children with Multiple Disabilitiesin this case were children with Cerebral Palsy who experienced obstacles in motor, cognitive, social &amp; emotional, and language aspects and intellectual barriers. This research approach is a qualitative approach with three stages of research, namely assessment, validation, and implementation. The result of this study is an increase in family understanding of the child's condition, the occurrence of stimulation carried out by the family to the child, the family has begun to want to socialize their children in the surrounding social environment. The results and discussion of further research are discussed in this study.&#x0D;

Development and evaluation of a fidelity tool in a post-discharge responsive parenting intervention program for very preterm born children

The TOP program is a fully implemented responsive parenting intervention for very preterm born infants. Fidelity monitoring of interventions is important for preserving program adherence, impact outcomes and to make evidence-based adaptations. The aim of this study was to develop a fidelity tool for the TOP program following an iterative and co-creative process and subsequently evaluate the reliability of the tool. Three consecutive phases were carried out. Phase I: Initial development and pilot testing two methods namely self-report and video based observation. Phase II: Adaptations and refinements. Phase III: Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the tool based on 20 intervention videos rated by three experts.The interrater reliability of the adherence and competence subscales was good (ICC.81 to .84) and varied from moderate to excellent for specific items (ICC between .51 and .98). The FITT displayed a high correlation (Spearman’s rho.79 to.82) between the subscales and total impression item. The co-creative and iterative process resulted in a clinical useful and reliable tool for evaluating fidelity in the TOP program. This study offers insights in the practical steps in the development of a fidelity assessment tool which can be used by other intervention developers.

Understanding the theoretical underpinnings of preventative early parenting interventions: A theory-based evaluation

Early parenting programmes which promote nurturing care for children aged 0–3 years are popular in community-based primary health care settings. However, little research has explored the causal and theoretical assumptions underpinning these programmes. This paper outlines a programme theory evaluation which was conducted to explore the change principles inherent in a complex early parenting intervention, the parent and infant programme, which aims to support parents and infants aged 0–2 years. A documentary analysis and qualitative interviews ( n = 19) with key stakeholders were undertaken to describe programme components, outline intervention objectives and identify the mechanisms assumed to be important to programme success. The interpretation of the findings was informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, within which we explore and describe the theoretical perspectives that underpin the programme and guide its operationalisation and delivery. The importance of attending to the causal mechanisms underlying early parenting interventions is outlined.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at Two Years’ Corrected Age of Very Preterm Infants after Implementation of a Post-Discharge Responsive Parenting Intervention Program (TOP Program)

To compare neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2years corrected age (CA) between infants born very preterm (VP) who did or did not receive a postdischarge responsive parenting intervention (Transmural developmental support for very preterm infants and their parents [TOP program]) between discharge home and 12months' CA. The Systemic Hydrocortisone to Prevent Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (SToP-BPD) study showed no differences between treatment groups in motor and cognitive development using the Dutch Bayley Scales of Infant Development and behavior using the Child Behavior Checklist at 2years' CA. During its study period, the TOP program was gradually scaled up nationwide in the same population, providing an opportunity to evaluate the effect of this program on neurodevelopmental outcome, after adjusting for baseline differences. Among 262 surviving VP infants in the SToP-BPD study, 35% received the TOP program. Infants in the TOP group had a significantly lower incidence of a cognitive score <85 (20.3% vs 35.2%; adjusted absolute risk reduction: -14.1% [95% CI: -27.2 to -1.1]; P=.03), and a significantly higher mean cognitive score (96.7±13.8), compared with the non-TOP group (92.0±17.5; crude mean difference: 4.7 [95% CI: 0.3 to 9.2]; P=.03). No significant differences were found on motor scores. For behavior problems, a small but statistically significant effect for anxious/depressive problems was found in the TOP group (50.5 vs 51.2; P=.02). VP infants supported by the TOP program from discharge until 12months' CA had better cognitivefunction at 2years' CA. This study demonstrates a sustained positive effect of the TOP program in VP infants.

A randomized controlled trial on the effect of parenting intervention through “Care for Child Development guideline” on early child development and behaviors

IntroductionIt is suggested that parenting intervention programs can play a core component in early child development. Given the limited healthcare resources in developing countries, a group design intervention might be cost-effective.ObjectivesOur objective was to assess the effect of parenting interventions in a cost-effective setting through group sessions CCD interventions on children’s development and behaviors in a non-Western, low/middle income country.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted in a public Pediatrics clinic in Isfahan, Iran. We included 210 pregnant women in their third trimester, and then followed their children for 18 months. The intervention group underwent 5 educational group sessions. The main outcomes were the children’s development and behaviors based on Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSCID-III) at 12 months and Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 18-month of age.ResultsData of 181 children were analyzed (80 in the intervention group and 101 controls. The adjusted median differences were significantly lower in the intervention group than in controls for attention problems (-3.38; SE=1.59; P=0.035), anxiety problems (-2.28; SE=1.03; P=0.007) and pervasive developmental problems (-5; SE= 1.16; P&lt;0.001) based on CBCL results. However, the difference of proportions was not significant in none of the BSCID-III domains in the intervention and control groups.Table 1-Results of BSID-III in intervention and control groups at 12 months of age aIntervention(n=80)Median (IQR)Control(n=101)Median (IQR)PAdjusted median differencesbCoefficientSECognitive score105 (100-115)110 (100-120)0.099-4.222.510.095Language score112(103-118)112(103-118)0.444-1.922.520.446Motor score103(97-110)107(91-112)0.957-1.092.410.652ConclusionsWe found that parenting interventions through CCD group sessions were significantly effective on several child’s behavior domains, but not on children’s development. Future longitudinal studies are necessary in this field.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Sexual communication between parents-adolescents during covid-19 pandemic in Malang

Implementing sexual communication between parents-adolescent is essential to protect adolescents’ sexual health. This research seeks to determine how parents-adolescents’ sexual communication was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research utilised a descriptive quantitative research method. One hundred sixty-seven parents participated in this study and were recruited through links that WhatsApp and Facebook shared. The parents must have adolescents between 11-19 years old and unmarried. The result revealed that the communication between parents and adolescents was more intense during the pandemic. Moreover, 16% of the time dedicated to it was increased. However, only a small number of parents (11.4%) recorded conducting sexual communication with their teenagers. 88% of respondents reported that the duration their teens spent online had increased, even though 55.6% of them implemented a limit on their internet time. The t-test independent sample result revealed communication differences assessed from gender (0.019) and age (0.025). However, there were no differences in education (0.081) and residential area (0.663). The expectation of this study’s outcome could be expected as a reference for the related government institutions and private organisations to enact an intervention program for parents about the importance of sexual communication for adolescents’ physical and mental health.

"There's more love between us": The parental experience of attending Mellow Babies, a targeted, early intervention program for parents and their babies.

It is recognized that parenthood in the context of psychosocial adversity can have negative implications for infant development. Parenting programs are the first line of intervention to improve outcomes for families; however, evidence for the effectiveness of group-based, targeted early interventions is still scarce. Preliminary findings indicate Mellow Babies (MB) as a promising group-based parenting program for families at risk for parenting difficulties. Using thematic analysis, we aimed to understand: (i) the aspects of the intervention that enabled parents to complete the program and (ii) the relational and behavioral changes perceived as valuable for parents and their babies post-intervention. In total, 68 parents residing in the United Kingdom were interviewed after completing MB (49 mothers and 19 fathers; 88% self-identified as British). Three themes and six subthemes were generated from the data. Parents identified several intervention components as beneficial, including the facilitators' interpersonal skills and multi-dimensional, group-based approach. Participant reflections highlighted three underlying mechanisms that enabled positive change: (i) the sense of community cultivated within the group, (ii) the process of formulating and re-conceptualizing one's difficulties, and (iii) the opportunity to reshape interpersonal interactions. Findings are discussed within the context of perinatal and infant mental health.

Online Parent Training for The Initial Management of ADHD referrals (OPTIMA): the protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a digital parenting intervention implemented to support parents and children on a treatment waitlist

BackgroundChildren referred for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often present with a broader pattern of conduct problems including oppositionality and defiance. This combination can be extremely stressful to parents, lower parents’ self-esteem and negatively impact family life. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that families receive support as soon as possible after their referral. However, as clinical services are overstretched, and traditional in-person parenting intervention programmes are expensive, families often must wait times a long time prior to receiving this vital input. To address this, we have created a digital parenting programme called STEPS. It is delivered as a mobile phone app providing a set of tools and resources that can be easily accessed at parents’ convenience. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of STEPS in supporting parents of children with high levels of hyperactivity/impulsivity, inattention and conduct problems, who are waiting to be assessed by specialist children’s clinical services.MethodsOnline Parent Training for The Initial Management of ADHD referrals (OPTIMA) is a two-arm superiority parallel randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot study. We aim to recruit 352 parents and their children, who have been accepted onto a waitlist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or similar child health services. Parents who consent will be randomised 1:1 to either the STEPS or wait-as-usual (WAU) group. The trial will be conducted remotely (online and telephone) with measures taken at baseline and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-randomisation. The primary objective is to evaluate whether STEPS reduces the severity of children’s oppositional and defiant behaviour, as rated by parents, measured at 3 months post-randomisation compared to WAU.DiscussionDigital solutions, such as mobile phone apps, have potential for delivering psychological support for parents of children with clinical-level needs in a timely and inexpensive manner. This trial will provide data on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the STEPS app, which could support the implementation of this scalable parenting intervention programme into standard clinical care and, ultimately, improve the outcomes for families of children referred to specialist child and adolescent health services.Trial registrationISRCTN 16523503. Prospectively registered on 18 November 2021. https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN16523503

Effect of parenting intervention through “Care for Child Development Guideline” on early child development and behaviors: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundSeveral studies showed that parenting intervention programs play a core component in early child development. Considering the limited healthcare resources in developing countries, group-session intervention based on care for child development (CCD) guideline might be cost-effective.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial was conducted at an outpatient public Pediatrics clinic in Isfahan, Iran. We included 210 pregnant women aged 18–45 years in their third trimester and followed their children for 18 months. The intervention group underwent 5 educational group sessions, each lasting for almost 45 minutes. The main outcomes were the children’s development and socio-emotional behavior problems based on Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III (BSID-III) at 12 months and the Children Behavior Checklist (CBCL) at 18 months.ResultsOverall, data of 181 children were included in the current study, including 80 in the intervention group and 101 controls. The adjusted median/mean differences between intervention and control groups using median/linear regression were not significant for all BSID-III domains except for median differences for cognitive score based on BSID-III (β (SE): − 4.98(2.31), p:0.032) and mean differences for anxiety/depression score based on CBCL (β (SE): − 2.54(1.27), p:0.046).ConclusionIn this study, parenting interventions through CCD group sessions were significantly effective on just one subscale of children’s socio-emotional behavior domains based on CBCL and one domain of children’s development based on BSID-III. There might be a ceiling or floor effects for the BSID-III and CBCL assessment, respectively, leaving little room for improvement as almost all children have achieved their full developmental potential in our study.Trial registrationIRCT20190128042533N2, Date of registration: 16/01/2020, www.irct.ir

The ADAPT Parenting Intervention Benefits Combat Exposed Fathers Genetically Susceptible to Problem Drinking.

Testing a vantage sensitivity model from differential susceptibility theory (DST), we examined a G × E × I hypothesis; that is, whether a military parenting intervention program (I) might buffer a G × E susceptibility for military deployed fathers exposed to deployment combat stress and trauma. We hypothesized that combat stress (E, referring to the natural environmental factor) would lead to increases in problem drinking, and that the effect of problem drinking would be amplified by genetic predisposition (G) for drinking reward systems, substance use, and addictive behaviors (i.e., differential vulnerability). Providing a preventive intervention designed to improve post-deployment family environments (I, vantage sensitivity) is hypothesized to buffer the negative impacts of combat exposure and genetic susceptibility. The sample included 185 post-deployed military fathers who consented to genotyping, from a larger sample of 294 fathers enrolled in a randomized effectiveness trial of the After Deployment Adaptive Parenting Tools (ADAPT) intervention. Trauma-exposed military fathers at genetic susceptibility for problem drinking assigned to the ADAPT intervention reported significantly more reductions in risky drinking compared with fathers at genetic susceptibility assigned to the control group, with a small effect size for the G × E × I interaction (d = .2).Trial Registration. The ADAPT trial is registered at the US National Institutes of Health ( ClinicalTrials.gov ) # NCT03522610.

Fathers’ sensitive parenting enhanced by prenatal video-feedback: a randomized controlled trial using ultrasound imaging

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate an interaction-based prenatal parenting intervention program aimed at promoting parental sensitivity and involvement in expectant fathers using ultrasound images: Prenatal Video-Feedback Intervention to Promote Positive Parenting (VIPP-PRE).MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, 73 first-time, healthy expectant fathers were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to the VIPP-PRE intervention (n = 39) or a dummy intervention (n = 34). Parental sensitivity was coded from video-recorded 10-min interactions with an infant simulator at a prenatal pretest and with fathers’ own infant at a postnatal posttest. Prenatal and postnatal involvement was assessed via an application on participants’ smartphones.ResultsFathers receiving VIPP-PRE demonstrated increased sensitivity across the perinatal period, relative to fathers receiving a dummy intervention. Fathers’ involvement with the infant increased significantly from the prenatal to postnatal period, regardless of the intervention.ConclusionsPrenatal video-feedback using ultrasound imaging of the unborn child has the potential to promote the quality of parenting in an important, but understudied, population and period: men in the transition to fatherhood. Future research should examine the long-term effectiveness of VIPP-PRE and its effectiveness in increasing parenting quality in at-risk families.ImpactThis study identifies a brief and focused prenatal intervention using assisted interactions between the father and his baby by means of ultrasound imaging as a promising strategy to improve sensitive fathering in the early postnatal phase.Our study shows that pregnancy provides a window of opportunity for promoting prenatal involvement and bonding in expectant fathers, with potential long-term benefits for the future father–child relationship.Ultrasound measures are currently used to monitor fetal growth and development, but our results suggest that they may also create an opportunity for stimulating father–infant interaction to promote postnatal caregiving quality.

Early Physiotherapy Intervention Program for Preterm Infants and Parents: A Randomized, Single-Blind Clinical Trial.

Background: The early developmental interventions might be designed with a preventative approach to improving the development of at-risk preterm infants. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an early physiotherapy intervention on preterm infants’ motor and global development, and on parents’ stress index. Methods: 48 infants were enrolled and randomized into two groups. Infants allocated to the intervention group received an early physiotherapy intervention, based on parental education sessions and tactile and kinesthetic stimulation during the NICU period, as well as a home-based activity program. The intervention commenced after 32 weeks post-menstrual age and ended at 2 months corrected age. Infants allocated to the control group received the usual care based on the NIDCAP-care. Results: No differences were found between groups on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale at 2- or 8-months corrected age. Infants in the intervention group showed more optimal fine motor, problem-solving, personal-social, and communication development at 1 month corrected age. Conclusions: The results showed no effect on the early physiotherapy intervention. Results might be related to the dose or intensity of the intervention, but also to the poor parental compliance. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03313427.

ENabling VISions and Growing Expectations (ENVISAGE): Parent reviewers’ perspectives of a co-designed program to support parents raising a child with an early-onset neurodevelopmental disability

AimsThis study reports parents’ perspectives of, ENVISAGE: ENabling VISions And Growing Expectations. ENVISAGE – co-designed by parents and researchers – is an early intervention program for parents raising children with neurodisability. Methods and proceduresUsing an integrated Knowledge Translation approach, this feasibility study explored parents’ perspectives of the comprehensibility, acceptability, and usability of ENVISAGE workshops. Participants were Australian and Canadian parents of children with neurodisabilities, ≥12 months post-diagnosis, who independently reviewed ENVISAGE workshops using an online learning platform. Parents completed study-specific 5-point Likert-scaled surveys about individual workshops. Following this, qualitative interviews about their perceptions of ENVISAGE were conducted. Survey data were analysed descriptively, and interviews analysed inductively using interpretive description. Outcomes and resultsFifteen parents completed surveys, of whom 11 participated in interviews. Workshops were reported to be understandable, relevant, and meaningful to families. ENVISAGE was judged to empower parents through enhancing knowledge and skills to communicate, collaborate and connect with others. Pragmatic recommendations were offered to improve accessibility of ENVISAGE. Conclusions and implicationsENVISAGE workshops address key issues and concerns of parents of children with neurodisability in a way that was perceived as empowering. Involving parents as reviewers enabled refinement of the workshops prior to the pilot study.