Group‐based parent‐training programmes for improving emotional and behavioural adjustment in 0–3 year old children

Abstract

The objectives of this Campbell systematic review are as follows: a) To establish whether group‐based parenting programmes are effective in improving the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children less than three years of age; b) To assess the role of parenting programmes in the primary prevention of emotional and behavioural problems. The findings of this review provide some support for the use of group‐based parenting programmes to improve the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children under the age of 3 years. There is, however, insufficient evidence to reach any firm conclusions regarding the role that such programmes might play in the primary prevention of such problems. Furthermore, there are limited data available concerning the long‐term effectiveness of these programmes, and the results from the two studies for which data were available produced borderline insignificant findings. Further research is required. Synopsis Parenting practices play a significant role in the development of emotional and behavioural problems in children, and parenting programmes which are aimed at the parents of infants and toddlers thereby have the potential to prevent the occurrence of such problems. The findings of this review provide some support for the use of group‐based parenting programmes to improve the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children under the age of 3 years. The limited evidence available concerning the extent to which these results are maintained over time, however, is equivocal, and it may be that during this period of rapid change in the infant's development, further input at a later date is required. More research is needed before questions of this nature can be answered. Abstract BackgroundEmotional and behavioural problems in children are common. Research suggests that parenting has an important role to play in helping children to become adjusted, and that the first few months and years of a child's life are especially important in establishing patterns of emotional, cognitive and social functioning which will in turn influence the child's future development and in particular, their mental health. Parenting programmes may therefore have a role to play in improving the emotional and behavioural adjustment of infants and toddlers. ObjectivesThe objectives of this review are as follows: a) To establish whether group‐based parenting programmes are effective in improving the emotional and behavioural adjustment of children less than three years of age b) To assess the role of parenting programmes in the primary prevention of emotional and behavioural problems. Search strategyA range of biomedical and social science databases were searched including MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychLIT, Sociofile, Social Science Citation Index, ASSIA, the Cochrane Library including SPECTR, CENTRAL, National Research Register (NRR) and ERIC. Selection criteriaOnly randomised controlled trials of group based parenting programmes were included, and studies that had used at least one standardised instrument t...

Introduction

“…18 Yet, few of the children who need mental health and substance abuse services receive them-only ϳ20% do 12,19 -despite the fact that many psychosocial and some pharmacologic treatments have been found to be safe and effective for children. [20][21][22][23] Reasons that so few receive needed services include the shortage and inaccessibility of parenting programs and social-emotional interventions for families of children younger than 5 years [1][2][3]5,6,9,10,[24][25][26][27][28] ; the shortage of specialty mental health services, 29 especially in rural areas and for children from low-income families who do not fall within the target population for public/community mental health services; the shortage of school-based mental health programs and services, despite evidence of the effectiveness of many of these programs [30][31][32] ; and the shortage or lack of awareness of emergency mental health services for children and adolescents in crisis, which causes these patients to rely on overcrowded emergency departments for care. 33,34 Minority populations suffer disproportionately from lack of access to mental health services.…”

Translational research to prevent internalizing problems early in childhood

“…[11,32] In contrast, the application of early childhood prevention to internalizing problems is in its infancy. [33][34][35][36][37] Bayer et al's.…”

“…Internalizing and externalizing (behavioral) problems are among the most common difficulties of early childhood, affecting approximately 15% of those aged from 18 months to 5 years. [10][11][12][13][14] Community-based studies have recently confirmed this high prevalence, along with a strong stability of internalizing symptoms across early to mid childhood (r 5 .53-.69, Po.001). [1,[15][16][17] CONSEQUENCES Young children's anxiety and internalizing disorders impair their immediate daily functioning.…”

The clinical effectiveness of different parenting programmes for children with conduct problems: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials

“…One review reports a summary measure suggesting a non significant trend favouring parent training in children 0-3 years [14]. Two reviews do not report summary measures of effectiveness but suggest that parent training has a positive effect on children's behaviour problems, parental well-being and social outcomes [15] and a positive effect for young children with conduct disorder [16].…”