A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Parenting Intervention in Low-Resource Settings in Panama

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether an intervention from the Triple P Positive Parenting Program system was effective in reducing parental reports of child behavioral difficulties in urban low-income settings in Panama City. A pilot parallel-group randomized controlled trial was carried out. A total of 108 parents of children 3 to 12 years old with some level of parent-rated behavioral difficulties were randomly assigned to a discussion group on "dealing with disobedience" or to a no intervention control. Blinded assessments were carried out prior to the intervention, 2 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months later. Results indicated that parental reports of child behavioral difficulties changed over time and decreased more steeply in the intervention than in the control group. The effects of the intervention on parental reports of behavioral difficulties were moderate at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up, and large at 6-month follow-up. Parents who participated in the discussion group reported fewer behavioral difficulties in their children after the intervention than those in the control condition. They also reported reduced parental stress and less use of dysfunctional parenting practices. There is a limited amount of evidence on the efficacy of parenting interventions in low-resource settings. This pilot trial was carried out using a small convenience sample living in low-income urban communities in Panama City, and therefore, the findings are of reduced generalizability to other settings. However, the methodology employed in this trial represents an example for future work in other low-resource settings.

Brief Parenting Interventions for Children at Risk of Externalizing Behavior Problems: A Systematic Review

“…The focus was on parents of children in the pre-school or early primary school age range, with the exception of Kjøbli and Odgen (2012) and Meija et al (2015) who recruited parents of 3-12 year olds. Joachim et al (2010) recruited parents who were concerned about problems on shopping trips while Morawska et al (2011) and Dittman et al (2015) recruited parents who were concerned about child disobedience and Bradley et al (2003) and Meija et al (2015) recruited parents having trouble managing their child's behavior. For this latter study, children had to score above the mean on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI; Eyberg and Pincus 1999).…”

“…For this latter study, children had to score above the mean on the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI; Eyberg and Pincus 1999). Studies predominantly recruited families via community advertising except for Kjøbli and Odgen (2012) and Turner and Sanders (2006) who recruited parents of children seeking help from a primary care agency and Meija et al (2015) who recruited parents from schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.…”

Exploration of Mechanisms behind Changes after Participation in a Parenting Intervention: A Qualitative Study in a Low‐Resource Setting

“…As part of this project, a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a one-session discussion group was carried out with 108 parents (Mejia, Calam & Sanders, 2015). Triple P is an intervention which aims to enhance family protective factors and reduce risk factors associated with severe problems in children (Sanders & Prinz, 2005).…”

The Lifestyle Triple P multilevel system of parenting and family support for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity

“…Triple P has been shown to work with families from diverse cultures. Several culturally specific studies have been conducted, for example with low-resource settings in Panama (Mejia, Calam, & Sanders, 2015), with Indonesian parents (Sumargi, Sofronoff, & Morawska, 2015), and with Australian Indigenous families (Turner, Richards, & Sanders, 2007). Consultation with local agencies and focus group research allows culturally appropriate adaptations.…”