Let’s Connect: A developmentally-driven emotion-focused parenting intervention

Augmenting family based treatment with emotion coaching for adolescents with anorexia nervosa and atypical anorexia nervosa: Trial design and methodological report

This article characterizes the design, recruitment, methodology, participant characteristics, and preliminary feasibility and acceptability of the Families Ending Eating Disorders (FEED) open pilot study. FEED augments family-based treatment (FBT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical anorexia nervosa (AAN) with an emotion coaching (EC) group for parents (i.e., FBT + EC). We targeted families high in critical comments and low warmth (assessed by the Five-Minute Speech Sample), known predictors of poor response in FBT. Eligible participants included adolescents initiating outpatient FBT, diagnosed with AN/AAN, ages 12-17, with a parent high in critical comments/low in warmth. The first phase of the study was an open pilot which demonstrated feasibility and acceptability of FBT + EC. Thus, we proceeded with the small randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible families were randomized to either 10 weeks of FBT + EC parent group treatment or the 10- week parent support group (control condition). The primary outcomes were parent critical comments and parental warmth, while our exploratory outcome was adolescent weight restoration. Novel aspects of the trial design (e.g., specifically targeting typical treatment non-responders), as well as recruitment and retention challenges in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

The Influence of Parents on Emotion Regulation in Middle Childhood: A Systematic Review

Emotion regulation (ER) has been identified as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology, making it an ideal target for prevention and treatment. This study explores how parents can nurture the development of child ER. In April 2022, a systematic review was executed focusing on malleable factors in the parental emotion-socialization process during middle childhood. Papers in PubMed, Web of Science and Medline were screened on content-related and methodological criteria. Their methodological quality was assessed. Knowledge was assembled using a summarizing framework encompassing four factors involved in emotion socialization. Fifty papers shed light on modifiable factors at the level of parental meta-emotion philosophy, emotion-related socialization behaviors, the ER skills of parents and the emotional climate of the family. Adaptive socialization appears to be context- and child-specific, thereby taxing parents’ ER skills and their ability to put them into practice flexibly. The four changeable factors in the emotion-socialization process are highly intertwined, resulting in four possible entries for parent-directed interventions. Importantly, time should be devoted to the ER capacities of parents and their ability to attune to the situation and their child. Regarding the latter, replication studies are necessary. Recommendations for clinical interventions are provided.

Trauma-Focused Tuning in to Kids: Evaluation in a Clinical Service

This study evaluated the Tuning in to Kids (TIK) parenting program delivered in a clinical setting with 77 parents and caregivers (hereafter referred to as “parents”) of children who had experienced complex trauma. The TIK program targets parent emotion socialization to improve children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. The study utilized a single-group design with pre- and post-intervention measures. Seventy-seven parents of children (aged 3–15 years) who had experienced complex trauma completed a ten-week version of the Trauma-Focused Tuning in to Kids program (TF-TIK). Measures examined parent reports of: emotion socialization; parent-child relationship; parent mental health; children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Parents reported significantly improved emotion socialization, parent-child relationship, parent mental health, as well as child emotion regulation and behavior. This study provides initial support for the use of the TF-TIK parenting program in a clinical setting with parents of children who have experienced complex trauma in order to prevent or reduce problems.

Emotion-focused parenting interventions for prevention and treatment of child and adolescent mental health problems: a review of recent literature

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review recent studies on emotion-focused parenting interventions to provide clinicians with knowledge about how these approaches might be used in prevention and treatment of mental health difficulties for children, adolescents and their families.

RECENT FINDINGS

A number of emotion-focused parent interventions are reported in the literature, including emotion coaching/communication parenting programs, emotion-focused family therapy, attachment-focused parenting interventions (including those that address parental reflective functioning/mentalization), mindfulness parenting programs and behavioral programs with added emotion components. All target emotions or emotional communication to assist parents and children understand and work through emotional experiences so they are less likely to impede healthy functioning. These interventions target four main domains: exploring family of origin or early attachment/relational experiences with emotion, targeting parents' own emotion awareness and regulation, shifting parents responses to or communication with their children when emotions occur, and promoting parents' skills for assisting children to regulate emotions and behavior. This review from the last 18 months found 50 studies that evaluated programs addressing these domains.

SUMMARY

Whilst the dominant approach in evidence-based parenting programs has been teaching behavioral strategies, it has been recognized that a focus on emotion-related processes is important. This is especially when working to improve the attachment relationship or when parents and children experience emotion dysregulation. This review demonstrates extensive evidence to support emotion-focused parenting interventions.