Parent-Child Interaction Therapy with Toddlers in a community-based setting: Improvements in parenting behavior, emotional availability, child behavior, and attachment

Early parenting interventions to prevent internalising problems in children and adolescents: a global systematic review and network meta-analysis

QUESTION

We compared the effectiveness of different types of parenting interventions based on an a priori taxonomy, and the impact of waitlists versus treatment as usual (TAU), in reducing child internalising problems.

STUDY SELECTION AND ANALYSIS

We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of published and unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) until 1 October 2022 that investigated parenting interventions with children younger than 4 years.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

studies with children born preterm, with intellectual disabilities, or families receiving support for current abuse, neglect, and substance misuse. We assessed the certainty of evidence using the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis framework. We used random-effects network meta-analysis to estimate standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% credible intervals (CrIs).

FINDINGS

Of 20 520 citations identified, 59 RCTs (18 349 participants) were eligible for the network meta-analysis. Parenting interventions focusing on the dyadic relationship (SMD: -0.26, 95% CrI: -0.43 to -0.08) and those with mixed focus (-0.09, -0.17 to -0.02) were more effective in reducing internalising problems than TAU at the first time point available. All interventions were more effective than waitlist, which increased the risk of internalising problems compared with TAU (0.36, 0.19 to 0.52). All effects attenuated at later follow-ups. Most studies were rated as with 'high risk' or 'some concerns' using the Risk of Bias Assessment Tool V.2. There was no strong evidence of effect modification by theoretically informed components or modifiers.

CONCLUSIONS

We found preliminary evidence that relationship-focused and mixed parenting interventions were effective in reducing child internalising problems, and the waitlist comparator increased internalising problems with implications for waiting times between referral and support. Considering the high risk of bias of most studies included, the findings from this meta-analysis should be interpreted with caution. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020172251.

Parental marriage and the non-cognitive abilities of infants and toddlers: Survey findings from China Family Panel Studies

Early childhood is a critical period for developing children's abilities. Non-cognitive abilities are comparable to or even stronger than cognitive abilities in predicting many socioeconomic outcomes. Usually, most scholars take personality as the core indicator of non-cognitive abilities. While temperament is also an important component of children's non-cognitive abilities, it was often ignored in previous studies. Based on the panel data from the 2018 and 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study investigates the effects of parental marital satisfaction on the non-cognitive development of children aged one to three; meanwhile, the heterogeneous effects and mechanisms were also examined. The results show that young children exhibit more negative emotions when their parents reported dissatisfaction with their marriages. Parental depression was an important mechanism of parental marital satisfaction affecting children's non-cognitive development, while the frequency of parent-child interaction was not. The effects of marital dissatisfaction on non-cognitive abilities were heterogeneous across child age and gender, as well as parental genders and education levels. The findings shed some light on the early interventions and offer important reference values for public policies aimed at improving family welfare and children's non-cognitive development.

Are emotionally competent adults emotionally available parents? Examination of theoretical and empirical relationships in a video-recorded parent-child interaction clinical preschool-aged sample

OBJECTIVE

Emotional competence (EC) describes one's general ability to perceive, express, process, and regulate their own emotions as well as those of others. In the clinical context of parent-child interactions, the specific ability to perceive, express and regulate a child's emotions is conceptually covered by the Emotional Availability Scales (EAS). We aim to examine theoretical and empirical overlaps between EC (Rindermann) and emotional availability (EA; Biringen) for theoretical, diagnostic, and therapeutic reasons.

METHODS

Parents of a clinically referred sample of preschool-aged children (55 dyads) filled out a self-report questionnaire (ECQ), and certified and blinded raters applied the EAS via observations. In a novel approach, the EC was additionally estimated with independent ratings made by two further observers. All dyads were coded on 10-min video-recorded parent-child interactions during free play.

RESULTS

In bivariate and multivariate analyses, EC scores from observational ratings were strongly associated with independently rated clinical emotional availability scores. EC scores from self-reports were moderately associated with emotional availability scores. A post hoc power analysis estimated β error probabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

EC may represent an important personal precondition to an emotionally available parent. As such, we discuss implications for early risk factor assessments for child development and highlight new prevention approaches, new diagnostic options, and refined treatment goals. Limitations included the sample size, assessment, and the influence of study design on results.

Efficacy of narrative therapy for orphan and abandoned children with anxiety and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in Rwanda: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Although narrative therapy (NT) is globally practiced for alleviating psychological disorders, studies of its efficacy for vulnerable children are still scarce, especially in African post-conflict settings. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the efficacy of NT for Rwandan Orphans and abandoned children (OAC) with ADHD and anxiety disorders.

METHOD

This study was a parallel randomized controlled trial in which participants (n = 72) were recruited from SOS Children's Villages. A half of participants (n = 36) were randomly allocated to either the NT group or the waitlist control group (WCG). Outcomes were collected at baseline before randomization and 10 weeks post-randomization.

RESULTS

ANOVA results indicated a significant main effect of time for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.176), and the main effects of group were significant for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.254) and ADHD disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.260). There was a significant time by group interaction effect for anxiety disorders (p < .001, ηp2= 0.328) and for ADHD (p < .001, ηp2= 0.193). Between group analyses showed that the difference in symptoms was significant for anxiety disorders (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.28) and for ADHD (p < .001, Cohen's d = 1.6) during the posttest, and the effect sizes were large.

LIMITATION

The long-term effects of the intervention for the current sample were not assessed in this study.

CONCLUSION

Despite its limitations, this study provides initial support for the safety, efficacy, and usefulness of NT among Rwandan OAC with ADHD and anxiety disorders. Health professionals must implement the new intervention as an everyday tool.

Targeted community-based programmes for children's mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the Australian literature

OBJECTIVE

No synthesis of the Australian evidence regarding targeted prevention and early intervention for mental health concerns among young children exists. This review aimed to (1) describe the types of targeted community-based mental health programmes evaluated in Australia to support children aged 1-9 years exhibiting internalising and/or externalising symptoms and (2) examine their impact on children's internalising and externalising symptoms and disorder diagnosis.

METHOD

A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted (PROSPERO: CRD42021255257). Four databases (PsycINFO, PsycArticles, MEDLINE and CINAHL) were searched for Australian studies published in the past 10 years that quantitatively evaluated the impact of a targeted programme on children's mental health. The National Institute of Health Quality Assessment Tools were used to evaluate the study quality.

RESULTS

Forty-two studies were included; the majority (67%) were medium quality. The mean sample size was 142 (SD = 170), children's average age was 5.78 years (SD = 2.44) and 58% were male. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were underrepresented. Studies evaluated 16 programmes that targeted (1) externalising symptoms (n = 20 studies, n = 6 programmes), (2) internalising symptoms (n = 14 studies, n = 7 programmes) or (3) both, termed transdiagnostic programmes (n = 8 studies, n = 3 programmes). Externalising programmes achieved a significant moderate mean reduction in externalising behaviours (standardised mean differences = -0.56), internalising programmes yielded a small mean improvement in anxiety symptoms (standardised mean differences = -0.25) and 57% reduced odds of anxiety disorder diagnosis. Evidence supporting transdiagnostic programmes was inconclusive.

CONCLUSION

Parenting-focused programmes targeting young children's internalising or externalising behaviours have the largest local evidence base supporting their effectiveness. Limitations include a lack of engagement with fathers, triangulation of outcomes, homogeneity and implementation reporting. Greater implementation and evaluation of community-driven integrated and systemic approaches that identify, engage and support Australia's most disadvantaged cohorts of young children and their families are needed.

Attachment-Based Parenting Interventions and Evidence of Changes in Toddler Attachment Patterns: An Overview

There is strong evidence to show links between attachment security in young children and a range of positive outcomes in social, emotional, and psychological domains. The aims of this review were to provide a narrative summary of (1) the attachment-based interventions currently available for caregivers of toddlers aged 12–24 months and for which research about the impact of the program on child attachment patterns has been reported, and (2) the empirical effectiveness of these interventions at improving attachment security. A number of interventions were shown to be associated with shifts to secure and/or organized attachment, with Child-Parent Psychotherapy and Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-Up emerging as the interventions with the strongest evidence bases. For most interventions, evidence came from just a single research study, and in some cases from studies that were not randomized controlled trials. In order for clinicians to make informed decisions about the interventions they use with parents and toddlers, it is vital that further research be conducted to test the efficacy of all available attachment-based parenting programs using randomized controlled trial designs, in a range of settings and clinical and cultural groups, and with longitudinal follow-ups.

Fostering Emotional Availability in Mother-Child-Dyads With an Immigrant Background: A Randomized-Controlled-Trial on the Effects of the Early Prevention Program First Steps

Background

In many Western countries like Germany, the social integration of children with an immigrant background has become an urgent social tasks. The probability of them living in high-risk environments and being disadvantaged regarding health and education-related variables is still relatively higher. Yet, promoting language acquisition is not the only relevant factor for their social integration, but also the support of earlier developmental processes associated with adequate early parenting in their first months of life. The Emotional Availability Scales (EAS) measure the quality of caregiver-child-interactions as an indicator of the quality of their relationship and thus of such early parenting, focusing on mutual and emotional aspects of their interaction.

Method

This pilot study examined in a randomized controlled trial the effects of the prevention project First Steps regarding the hypothesis that the Emotional Availability (EA) improved to a greater extent in "difficult-to-reach" immigrant mother-child dyads in a psychoanalytically oriented early intervention (A, FIRST STEPS) compared to a usual care intervention (B) offered by paraprofessionals with an immigrant background. A sample of N = 118 immigrant women in Germany from 37 different countries and their children was compared with regard to the parental EA-dimensions sensitivity, structuring, non-intrusiveness and non-hostility and the child dimensions responsiveness to and involvement of the caregiver in the pre-post RCT design.

Results and Conclusion

Different from what was expected, repeated ANOVAs revealed no significant pre-post group differences for the parental dimensions. For the child dimensions the effect of time of measurement was highly significant, which can be interpreted as mostly natural developmental effects. Still, on the level of simple main effects for each intervention, only in the FIRST STEPS groups child responsiveness significantly improved. When controlled for confounding variables, a significant interaction effect for maternal sensitivity in favor of the FIRST STEPS intervention was found. The systematic group differences indicate that the more extensive and professional intervention, focusing on the individual needs of the participants, is more suitable to support the quality of the mother-child-relationship amongst immigrant mother-child dyads than usual care. The results are discussed taking into account the context of the maternal migration process and potential maternal traumatization.

Clinical Trial Registration

[https://clinicaltrials.gov], identifier [DRKS00004632].

A Learning Theory Approach to Attachment Theory: Exploring Clinical Applications

Although clinicians typically acknowledge the importance of insecure attachment as one factor that can contribute to children's psychopathology, translating attachment theory into clinical practice has proved a challenge. By specifying some of the mechanisms through which the child's attachment develops and changes, learning theory can enhance attachment based approaches to therapy. Specifically, interventions building on operant (parent management training) and classical (exposure therapy) learning can be used to stimulate new learning that increases the child's security and confidence in the parent's availability and responsiveness. To explore the clinical application and utility of a Learning Theory of Attachment (LTA), we focus on two attachment-focused interventions: Video-feedback Intervention to promote Positive Parenting and Sensitive Discipline (VIPP-SD) and Middle Childhood Attachment-based Family Therapy (MCAT). VIPP-SD is an evidence-based parent management training designed to promote sensitive parenting and secure attachment in early childhood. MCAT is a recently developed intervention that uses exposure to stimulate secure attachment in middle childhood. LTA sheds light on the mechanisms set in train by VIPP-SD and MCAT facilitating the induction of professionals in clinical applications.

A randomized controlled trial comparing parent child interaction therapy - toddler, circle of security- parenting™ and waitlist controls in the treatment of disruptive behaviors for children aged 14-24 months: study protocol

BACKGROUND

It is common for toddlers to display disruptive behaviors (e.g., tantrums, aggression, irritability) but when these become severe and persistent they can be the start of a trajectory towards poor outcomes in childhood and adolescence. Parent Child Interaction Therapy - Toddler is an intervention model designed to meet the specific developmental needs of toddlers aged 12-24 months presenting with disruptive behaviors.

METHODS

This study will use a randomized controlled design to evaluate the efficacy of the Parent Child Interaction Therapy - Toddler intervention for children aged 14-24 months with disruptive behaviors. Ninety toddlers with parent-reported disruptive behavior will be randomly allocated to either Parent Child Interaction Therapy - Toddler, Circle of Security- Parenting™ or a waitlist control group. Key parenting capacity outcome variables will include positive and negative parenting, parenting sensitivity, parental sense of competence in managing negative toddler emotions, parent sense of caregiving helplessness, parent mentalizing about the child, parent emotion regulation, child abuse potential and parental stress. Key outcome variables for children will include child social-emotional functioning (initiative, relationship functioning, self-regulation), child emotion regulation, child attachment security, and child behavior.

DISCUSSION

Delivered in the early intervention period of toddlerhood, Parent Child Interaction Therapy - Toddler has the potential to bring about significant and lasting changes for children presenting with early onset behavioral issues.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), 12618001554257 . Registered 24 September 2018 - retrospectively registered.