Interventions for women prisoners and their children in the post‐release period

Women offenders and their children represent a severely disadvantaged and marginalised population. For many children, the very risk factors that contributed to their own mother's incarceration are present in their current lives, creating an intergenerational vulnerability for poor outcomes. Providing an intensive individualised parenting intervention in the post‐release period may help improve family functioning. The aim of the present study was to ascertain the feasibility and short‐term effectiveness of delivering an intensive multifaceted parenting program, Parents Under Pressure (PUP), to women offenders after release or in low‐security confinement where they were living with their children. Twelve women commenced the program and eight completed treatment. Treatment completion was associated with significant positive change, in particular an improvement in maternal mental health and the quality of the parent‐child relationship, with reductions found in child abuse potential and problem child behaviours. The present results highlight the potential benefits of delivering intensive multifaceted parenting interventions, such as PUP, to women who have been involved in the criminal justice system.     

A qualitative study to explore paraprofessionals’ role in school‐based prevention and early intervention mental health services

This study explored the role of paraprofessionals within a school‐based prevention and early intervention program to promote children's engagement in learning and positive parenting practices. Study aims were designed to understand how paraprofessionals perceive their role in high‐need communities and how they define their work within schools. Two focus groups were conducted with school family liaisons (SFLs) during the 2015–2016 school year. Transcribed audio recordings were coded using thematic analysis wherein 2 authors coded independently, followed by audited discussion and final consensus codes. SFLs acknowledged the importance of serving high‐need communities and relationship building was central to their role. They leveraged contextual knowledge (culture, language, and neighborhood) to engage parents, allowing them to serve as effective advocates for parents/families in the school setting. Findings support the importance of paraprofessionals in prevention‐focused services and highlight how leveraging shared experiences and prioritizing relationship building facilitates their work as advocates within schools.     

The effects of a community-based literacy program: One-year follow-up findings

Researchers have become increasingly concerned about whether behaviors that have been successfully changed through intervention programs are maintained after completion of the intervention. Project PRIMER (Producing Infant/Mother Ethnic Readers) is a community-based program designed to teach low-income parents techniques for promoting literacy at home. The initial effects of Project PRIMER were that parents who were assigned to the intervention group increased their literacy behaviors significantly more than parents in the control group, and children in the experimental group had significantly higher language production and conceptual development scores than children in the control group. Follow-up data were collected one year after the intervention was completed to determine whether the behaviors modeled to the parents were maintained and whether children in the intervention and control groups still differed in their tests scores. One hundred ninety-four of the 277 participating families were located one year later. Few of the significant differences initially produced were maintained. These results suggest that booster sessions are necessary to maintain changes in both parents and their children. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Brief report: family-based group intervention for young siblings of children with chronic illness and developmental disability

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a family-based group intervention for young siblings of children with chronic illness and developmental disability (CI/DD). METHODS: Forty-three healthy siblings (ages 4-7 years) of children with CI/DD and their parents participated in an intervention designed to address sibling challenges that cut across types of diagnostic conditions. The intervention consisted of six sessions of collateral and integrated sibling-parent groups. Measures of sibling knowledge, sibling sense of connectedness with other children in similar family circumstances, and sibling global functioning were collected before and after intervention. A subsample of 17 families completed a 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: Siblings' knowledge of the child's disorder and sibling connectedness increased significantly from pre- to posttreatment for both boys and girls, regardless of the nature of the brother or sister's condition. Sibling perceptions of self-competence increased from pre- to posttreatment, whereas parent reports of sibling behavioral functioning remained within the normal range. Improvements in sibling knowledge and connectedness maintained at follow-up. Parent satisfaction with the program was high. CONCLUSIONS: Results support more controlled evaluations of family-based intervention to improve young sibling adaptation to CI/DD.     

Comparing parental distress,family functioning,and the role of social support for caregivers with and without a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To assess parental distress, family functioning, and social support among parents of children with a lifetime diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and comparison families. METHODS: Parents of 64 children with JRA (64 mothers, 46 fathers) completed questionnaires and in-home interviews along with 64 matched comparison families. Average time since diagnosis for children with JRA was 70 months. RESULTS: Families of children with JRA generally reported levels of parental distress, family functioning, and social support similar to those for comparison families. More mothers of children with JRA exceeded the clinical cutoff on the SCL-90-R than comparison mothers. Although disease characteristics and social support did not distinguish subgroups of parents at greater risk for problems, family supportiveness and conflict were associated with caseness for mothers of children with JRA. CONCLUSIONS: Families of children with JRA exhibited substantial resilience over the long term. Further multisite study of children recently diagnosed and with more severe forms of JRA is warranted to determine intervention needs, especially for mothers.     

Developing pathways to assist parents to exit the child protection system in Australia

The prevalence of child abuse and neglect is an international concern that justifies the existence of child protection systems. An important first principle for all such statutory child protection systems is to ensure that the system itself does no further harm. It can be argued that there are specific circumstances within which well‐meaning services have the potential to do harm: specifically, processes and actions that disempower parents by reducing their autonomy and capacity for positive action. Exploring the circumstances in which reduced parental autonomy impacts negatively on families is an important first step in developing procedures for working with families that not only avoid harm but are orientated to produce meaningful change. Two evidence‐based programs are described that together have the potential to assist child protection practitioners to develop a collaborative helping partnership with families, clarify goals for change and support parents to achieve meaningful improvement in their family functioning. The programs described are both manualised and have empirical support for their effectiveness. The potential benefits for both families and practitioners working within child protection agencies in the two programs are described.     

Observation of family functioning at mealtime: a comparison between families of children with and without overweight

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences between families of children with and without overweight on parental control and support. METHODS: Twenty-eight families with an overweight child and a control group of 28 families with a normal weight child (age range 7-13 years) participated in the study. Observations and self-reports of mealtime family functioning were administered and analyzed. RESULTS: Parents of children with overweight reported to exert more control on their children's feeding behavior and an equal amount of parental support in comparison with parents of children without overweight. However, observations at mealtime indicated that in families with an overweight child, maladaptive control strategies were twice as prevalent, and less parental support was displayed. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reports and observations provide complementary information on how parents interact with their overweight children. Family-based treatment programs should include discussions on the adequate amount of parental control and support.     

The short‐term impact of a problem‐solving skills programme for Iranian parents

Background: The ability of children to solve problems is an important influence on the social‐cognitive development of children. Parents and children who use problem‐solving strategies display more positive parent‐child relationships. It follows that parents will be more effective in promoting the children's development and healthy parent‐child relationships if they are skilled in problem‐solving strategies and encourage their children to use these strategies. Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short‐term efficacy of a problem‐solving skills program for Iranian parents (the ‘Raising a Thinking Child’ program) on the parent‐child relationship. Materials and method: Sixty‐four mothers of 4–8 year‐old children participated voluntarily in 12 2‐hour weekly workshops over a three month period. Parents were taught a procedure for problem‐solving and provided with the opportunity to consider how the procedure could be applied in response to challenging behaviors of their children. The problem‐solving strategies were taught as an alternative to ineffective approaches such as punishing and reprimanding. Results: Results indicated that teaching problem‐solving skills to parents had a positive influence on a number of dimensions of parenting as measured by the Parent Child Relationship Inventory. Conclusion: Parents who attended the program felt more supported, more involved with their children and better able to balance limit setting and child autonomy.     

Neuropsychological features in RASopathies: A pilot study on parent training program involving families of children with Noonan syndrome

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a clinical variable multisystem disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins involved in the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. NS is characterized by a distinctive facies, short stature, and congenital heart defects. Psychomotor delay, learning difficulties, and social deficits are also common. Furthermore, behavioral and attention problems can be reckoned as a key symptom in NS, with functioning resembling the patterns observed in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The complex behavioral phenotype has great impact on the quality of life and raises demanding management issues also for patients' families. Parent management training (PMT) is recommended as first-line treatment for ADHD; however, no study has been performed to test the efficacy of PMT in NS, thus far. The aim of this pilot study is the implementation and evaluation of a PMT dedicated to NS families. Parents of seven children with NS were recruited and underwent to a 10-session PMT. Three different questionnaires were administered to both parents: Conners Parent Rating Scales, Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI-SF), and Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ). Our findings on this first small cohort of families indicate that positive perception and satisfaction about the child and the interaction with him increased in mothers after the intervention, as measured respectively by PSI-SF difficult child (DC) and PSI-SF parent–child dysfunctional interaction (PCDI), while mothers' level of stress decreased after the PMT, as indicated by PSI-SF total scores. Furthermore, APQ positive parenting, which measures behaviors of positive relationship with the child, increased in mothers after the intervention. Statistical analysis on fathers' questionnaires did not show significant differences after the PMT sessions. This pilot study suggests that PMT is a promising intervention for parents of NS children with behavioral and ADHD symptoms. Changes in mothers' attitudes and distress indicate that behaviorally oriented programs may help parents to manage with NS phenotype.     

IMPROVING PARENTING OF TODDLERS’ EMOTIONS USING AN EMOTION COACHING PARENTING PROGRAM: A PILOT STUDY OF TUNING IN TO TODDLERS

Parental responses to children's emotions influence children's emotion‐related abilities. Tuning in to Toddlers (TOTS) is a new emotion‐focused parenting program for parents of toddlers aged 18 to 36 months. It is based on the empirically tested Tuning in to Kids program that teaches parents how to emotion coach their children. In the current pilot study, an intervention‐only sample of parents of typically developing toddlers attended a 6‐session group program. At preprogram and postprogram, parents’ emotion‐coaching and emotion‐dismissing behaviors were assessed using self‐report questionnaires and observation measures. Results showed significant increases in self‐reported and observed emotion coaching behaviors and use of emotion talk after intervention. There was also a significant decrease in self‐reported and observed emotion dismissing behaviors, and toddler externalizing behavior problems. Overall, findings provide preliminary support for TOTS and suggest its potential as a valuable intervention for supporting parents in their efforts to emotion coach their toddlers.     

IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMMUNITY‐BASED FAMILY‐CENTERED PROGRAM IN PORTUGAL: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY EVALUATION

Family‐centered, community‐based programs are particularly suited to support families with at‐risk children or maltreated children and achieve family preservation or reunification. In these child protection and child welfare cases, assessment is of great importance to inform decision making. But the implementation of services to support the families change and its evaluation in real settings is not without challenges. The Integrated Family Assessment and Intervention Model (IFAIM) was designed to conduct assessment and intervention with multichallenged families with at‐risk or maltreated children and support the activities of the child protection system. In this article, we describe a pragmatic, focused on improvement, action research multicase study of the process and outcome of IFAIM's first implementation. Multiple factors affected implementation, namely, factors related with the teams, the organizations, and the communities. An improved model of implementation based on the evaluation results is proposed.     

EARLY HEAD START HOME VISITATION: THE ROLE OF IMPLEMENTATION IN BOLSTERING PROGRAM BENEFITS

Home visitation has emerged as a key strategy for promoting child and family well‐being in the current policy context. This article examines the effectiveness of the Early Head Start (EHS) home‐based program for children and families at the end of the program and 2 years later, with a particular focus on the role of program implementation in the impacts of the EHS home‐based program on child and family outcomes. There was a pattern of broad, modest effects of EHS home visiting for both children and parents, which were strengthened if the programs were fully implemented according to federal guidelines. In particular, impacts for children in the cognitive and language domain were documented. Implications of these findings for policy and practice are discussed.     

Preventive Intervention for Urban,Low-Income Preschoolers at Familial Risk for Conduct Problems: A Randomized Pilot Study

Conducted a pilot study to test the feasibility of a prevention program for promoting parenting in families of preschoolers at high risk for behavior problems. Risk status was based on a family history of antisocial behavior and residence in a low-income, urban community. Thirty preschoolers (ages 21/2 to 5) and their parents were randomly assigned to a 1-year, home- and clinic-based intervention or to a no-intervention control condition. Despite families' multiple risk factors, high rates of attendance and satisfaction were achieved. Relative to controls, intervention parents were observed to be significantly more responsive and use more positive parenting practices. Results support the feasibility of engaging high-risk families in an intensive prevention program. The meaningful changes achieved in parenting suggest that a preventive approach is promising for families with multiple risk factors.     

BONDING AND BRIDGING: TRANSITION TO SCHOOL AND SOCIAL CAPITAL FORMATION AMONG A COMMUNITY OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN

This study reports on an intervention program designed to facilitate transition to school of a whole community of Indigenous Australian children who had previously not been attending. The children were from families displaced from their traditional lands and experienced on‐going social marginalisation and transience. A social capital framework was employed to track change in the children's social inclusion and family‐school engagement for two years, from school entry. Sociometric measurement and interview techniques were applied to assess the children's social connectedness and peer relationship quality. Using these data, analyses examined whether bonding within the group supported or inhibited formation of new social relationships. Although transience disrupted attendance, there was a group trend towards increased social inclusion with some evidence that group bonds supported bridging to new social relationships. Change in family‐school engagement was tracked using multi‐informant interviews. Limited engagement between school and families presented an on‐going challenge to sustained educational engagement.     

Who joins a preventive intervention? How risk status predicts enrollment

The objective of this study was to identify social, psychological, and health‐related variables that predict mothers' refusals to join a prevention program for families of children with chronic illnesses. A two‐step recruitment process was used with 193 families of children with chronic illnesses. First, families were recruited for a longitudinal research survey. Then, mothers were given the opportunity to randomly receive one of two programs. Mothers who refused the opportunity to participate in either program continued in the research project. Data were collected through structured interviews at baseline and 12 months later. Compared to mothers who agreed to participate in one of the programs, those who refused reported more confidence, more support, and less depression and higher functional status and better adjustment in their child. Mothers who agree to participate in a longitudinal research effort but refuse to participate in an intervention program are likely to be functioning well, and may perceive no need for a program designed to prevent mental health problems. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The effectiveness of online,family‐based media literacy education for substance abuse prevention in elementary school children: Study of the Media Detective Family Program

The present study investigates the effectiveness of a family‐based, online media literacy education (MLE) program for substance abuse prevention in children from rural areas. A total of 83 families were randomly assigned to receive Media Detective Family (MDF; n = 47) or a control computer program (n = 36) between pre‐ and posttest questionnaires. A total of 51% (N = 42) completed a 3‐month follow‐up questionnaire. Children receiving MDF reported a significant reduction in their use of substances over time compared to children in the control group (d = ?.80). Parents receiving MDF reported that the program was convenient and engaging. The current study showed that an online substance use prevention program using MLE and designed for families is an effective intervention method for reducing children's substance use.     

Mediators of the Effect of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors

Over the past two decades, the number of children with parents in prison has increased substantially. Using structural equation modeling with prospective longitudinal data gathered as part of the ongoing Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers (LIFT) trial, the study tests a theoretical model which examines the direct and indirect relationships of four specific domains (parental incarceration, social advantage, parent mental and physical health, effective parenting) as they relate to youth antisocial behavior in the 5th, 8th, and 10th grades. Across all three grades, the relationship between parental incarceration and youth antisocial behaviors was mediated through a complex set of both direct and indirect pathways involving social advantage, parent health, and effective parenting. The total amount of variation explained by the models for youth externalizing ranged from .60 (in 5th grade) to .21 (in 10th grade). The total effects in all the refined models were small.     

Development and evaluation of a multi-family psychoeducational program for cystic fibrosis

The development, implementation and evaluation of a psychoeducational program for families with a child affected by cystic fibrosis (CF) is described. Aim of the program was to strengthen the families' coping with CF-related problems and to improve adherence with chest physiotherapy.Sixteen families from an outpatient CF-clinic participated. Parents and children were educated both individually as well as together in multi-family groups. Teaching, practicing and group discussions were balanced in each session. In a pre-post-design the following variables were evaluated: parental coping, parental health beliefs, children's coping, adherence, and knowledge about CF.The parental coping patterns and health beliefs remained unchanged in the study group. Children developed more search for social support, whereas their competence and optimism decreased and withdrawal increased slightly as perceived by the parents. There is a subgroup with poor family functioning and adherence at pretest which improves after the intervention.Family-centered psychoeducational intervention may be a promising supportive strategy for children with CF, especially if it is dedicated to families with poor adaptation to the disease.     

SUPPORTING POSITIVE PARENTING IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS: THE ACT RAISING SAFE KIDS PROGRAM

The present study involves an evaluation of the effect of the American Psychological Association's ACT Raising Safe Kids (RSK) program on parenting outcomes for families served by Community Health Centers. The ACT‐RSK program is a primary family violence and child physical abuse prevention program for parents of young children. Parents were trained in effective parenting including nonviolent discipline, child development, anger management, social problem‐solving skills, effects of violent media on children, and methods to protect children from exposure to violence. Results indicate improved nurturing and positive parenting behaviors and lower rates of psychologically and physically aggressive behavior toward children. These improvements occurred independent of children's age and prior levels of aggression. Use of this model within healthcare settings has the potential to more effectively address parents’ needs for parenting guidance while reducing the likelihood of child maltreatment.     

Parents' and children's communication about genetic risk: a qualitative study, learning from families' experiences

Little is known about how parents explain to their children their risk of inheriting a gene that may cause disease in the child or in the child's future progeny. This study explored how genetic risk information is shared between family members and the factors affecting it, to ascertain the implications for children, young people and their parents to inform future service development and provision. A volunteer group of parents, children (8-11 years) and young people (12+ years) in families affected by or at risk of one of six inherited genetic conditions was interviewed. The semi-structured interviews explored the roles of family members, the language used and the self-reported psychological outcomes in a discussion on genetic risk information. The findings were analysed using grounded theory. A total of 33 families participated, which included 79 individuals. Parents often found discussing genetic risk information very difficult and emotionally painful. Discussions were not usually planned and often a major event prompted parents to finally explain genetic risks to their children; however, children usually preferred to learn about the genetic condition gradually throughout childhood. Parents identified a number of challenges they faced related to talking to children, and many thought health professionals should provide more advice to assist them in providing developmentally appropriate information. We therefore conclude that greater emphasis is required in supporting parents and children in discussing genetic risk information throughout their child's development. Open communication about genetic risks throughout childhood seemed to help children and parents cope better and come to terms with the implications of the genetic condition.