Research priorities for parenting and child health: a Delphi study

AIM: This paper is a report of a study to identify research priorities of clinical staff working with families at a Western Australian centre for parenting. BACKGROUND: Australian centres for parenting focus on children's needs while working in partnership with parents, families and their communities. These agencies incorporate primary healthcare strategies in their unique approach with families. Clinicians' research priorities at these centres have not been explored in an Australian context. METHOD: In 2005, a Delphi study was conducted in which clinicians were asked to provide a list of five important issues relating to care provided to children, parents and their families. Research topics identified were then ranked for their importance to the family and clinicians. Finally, the top 10 research topics were ranked for priority. FINDINGS: In round 1, 148 research topics were identified. Thirty-six topics were removed, due to the availability of existing evidence. Content analysis was used to collapse statements into 26 research questions, which were further classified into seven categories: parenting issues; sleep and settling issues; postnatal depression; evaluation and impact of programmes; staffing issues; centre marketing services and others. Issues relating to sleep and settling and postnatal depression were rated as top research priorities. CONCLUSION: The priorities of clinicians working with families provide research direction for this Western Australian centre and potentially other centres in Australia and similar settings elsewhere in the world. The Delphi approach in determining clinicians' perceptions of relevant research areas may be useful to direct research in other contexts.     

Parenting stress within mother-father dyads raising a young child with autism spectrum disorder

BackgroundThe present study assessed different facets of parenting stress in families with a child with ASD (perceptions of parenting-related roles, parent-child interactions, and the child’s behaviors) at three timepoints: right after receiving an ASD diagnosis, immediately following specialized intervention services, and one year after receiving services, upon primary school entry.MethodParticipants were 258 mother-father dyads and their child. Parents provided demographic information and completed measures on their parenting stress and their child’s autism symptom severity.ResultsPartial correlations revealed that, at the time of diagnosis, after controlling for children’s age and autism symptom severity, mothers’ and fathers’ stress was positively and significantly associated with each other, suggesting a bidirectional relation between partners’ psychological adjustment. Cross-lagged panel analyses demonstrated different longitudinal and transactional links, depending on the dimension of stress examined.ConclusionsFindings are discussed in terms of supports that could assist mothers and fathers of children with ASD.     

NICU出院早产儿母亲育儿压力轨迹及影响因素研究

目的 了解从NICU出院后矫正6月龄内早产儿母亲育儿压力轨迹,分析其影响因素,为今后制定干预措施减轻早产儿母亲育儿压力提供依据。方法 选择从NICU出院的356名早产儿母亲为研究对象,采用简式育儿压力量表、流调中心抑郁量表、社会支持评定量表、简易共同养育关系量表、新生儿医学指数分别在早产儿出院后1周、矫正1月龄、3月龄和6月龄来院随访时进行调查。结果 早产儿出院后1周、矫正1月龄、3月龄和6月龄时母亲育儿压力总分分别为(100.73±19.11)分、(105.96±21.08)分、(90.71±17.16)分和(88.22±17.76)分。与母亲育儿压力相关的因素分别是婴儿出生体质量、是否已生育子女、母亲抑郁状况及社会支持状况(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论 早产儿出院后早期母亲育儿压力呈先升后降趋势,提示医护人员应根据影响因素制定干预策略,尽早开展针对性育儿支持措施,帮助早产儿母亲适应母亲角色以减轻其育儿压力。     

Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Psychoeducational Intervention With Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents: A Pilot Study

PROBLEM: Little is known about the effectiveness of a comprehensive psychoeducational intervention on depression, self-esteem, and parenting attitudes/beliefs of at-risk pregnant and parenting adolescents. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 41) attending either a residential treatment facility (RTF) or a rural alternative school (RAS) participated in a psychoeducational parenting group using Bavolek's Nurturing Program during Phase I. Phase II included health promotion issues, infant massage, and CPR. FINDINGS: Using the Parenting Semantic Differential and the AAPI-2, there was significant improvement in parenting attitudes and beliefs. No significant change was found in self-esteem. CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive psychoeducational parenting group can be effective in changing parenting attitudes and beliefs, which suggests an ultimate improvement in health promotion and disease prevention in adolescent women and their children.     

A latent growth curve analysis of alcohol-use specific parenting and adolescent alcohol use

This study investigates how changes in alcohol use-specific parenting were associated with adolescent drinking trajectories. Three waves of data from a longitudinal study investigating adolescent substance use were used. The community sample (N = 378) was aged 10–13 at the first wave of assessment. Our findings show that over time, parents are less likely to discipline their adolescents' drinking, more likely to grant their adolescent permission to drink, and less likely to communicate the consequences of alcohol use. Moreover, these changes are associated with escalation in adolescent alcohol use. Parental efficacy at preventing alcohol use declined, but did not relate to changes in adolescent drinking.     

Multiple Marginality and the Variation in Delinquency and Substance use Among Adolescent Gang Members

Background: Gang membership is a significant contributor to delinquency and violent victimization among adolescents. Yet, there is considerable variability in the extent to which gang members engage in delinquency and substance use, and previous research suggests factors beyond the individual level are important to consider. Objectives: Using the multiple marginality framework, this study examines the factors related to the family, school, and neighborhood contexts that may contribute to delinquency and substance use among current gang members. Methods: Between 2013 and 2015, we conducted quantitative surveys with 449 self-identified gang members between the ages of 14 and 19?years old in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Surveys included measures to assess delinquency, substance use, parental involvement, educational attainment, drug distribution, and police involvement. We ran simple and multiple regressions to assess the relationship between family, school, and neighborhood factors and delinquency and substance use. Results: Regression analyses revealed several significant predictors of delinquency and substance use among adolescent gang members including parental substance use and incarceration, school safety, police contact, and neighborhood disorder. Conclusions: Family and school factors are likely important protective factors against delinquency and substance use among gang members. Interventions at the family and community level may be particularly important in reducing poor health and social outcomes for adolescent gang members.     

Evaluation of a parenting program for children with behavioural problems: Signposts in Singapore

Abstract

Background The Signposts for Building Better Behaviour program, developed by the Parenting Research Centre, Victoria, Australia, was conducted at a public hospital facility in Singapore.

Method More than 1,000 parents completed the program, and filled in questionnaires about their child's behaviours.

Results Parents rated themselves in the questionnaires as being significantly less hassled, stressed, depressed, and anxious after attending the program. They were more confident and satisfied with managing their child, and rated their children's behaviours as having improved. Effect sizes ranged from 0.12 to 0.59. The findings were maintained 3 months after completion of the program.

Conclusions The study provides evidence of the cross-cultural applicability of the principles underlying the Signposts program. As there are long-term repercussions when children's behaviour problems are not dealt with appropriately, such behaviour management programs should be made more available to parents and caregivers.