Parent and practitioner perspectives on Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P): A qualitative study

Circle of Security Parenting (COS-P) is an attachment-theory-informed program for parents of infants and young children. Designed for scalability, COS-P has been widely adopted internationally. Evidence for the program's effectiveness is limited, however, restricting capacity to make informed decisions about program allocation, and threatening ongoing program funding. To help address this evidence gap, this qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of 20 COS-P facilitators and 14 parent recipients in Australia, where COS-P uptake has been particularly widespread. Thematic analysis of combined interview and focus group data revealed a perception that COS-P primarily changes the lens through which parents view (a) their child, (b) themselves in the parenting role, and (c) the parent-child relationship, and that this was a pathway to increased empathy, compassion, and parenting confidence. Participants identified four components that underpinned program impact: key content, skills practice, group processes, and facilitator support. Although COS-P was considered suitable for broad application, limitations were noted. Findings can guide clinical application of COS-P and inform empirical research.

The impact of a mother-infant intervention on parenting and infant response to challenge: A pilot randomized controlled trial with adolescent mothers in El Salvador

A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted in El Salvador of an intervention ('Thula Sana') previously shown to enhance maternal sensitivity and infant security of attachment in a South African sample. In El Salvador, trained community workers delivered the intervention from late pregnancy to 6 months postpartum as part of a home-visiting programme. The sample comprised 64 pregnant adolescent women, aged 14-19 years, living in predominantly rural settings. They were randomised to receive either the intervention or normal care. Demographic information was collected at baseline and, immediately post-intervention, blind assessments were made of parental sensitivity and infant emotion regulation. The intervention was found to have a substantial positive impact on maternal sensitivity. Further, compared to control group, infants in the intervention group showed more regulated behaviour: in a social challenge task they showed more attempts to restore communication, and in a non-social challenge task they showed more social and goal-directed behaviour. This replication and extension of the South African findings in a small El Salvador sample shows promise and justifies the conduct of a large-scale RCT in a Central or South American context.

Promoting parent-infant responsiveness in families experiencing homelessness

My Baby's First Teacher is an intervention designed specifically for parents with infants staying in emergency homeless shelters. Infants are overrepresented in shelter populations and face considerable risk to their development, including mental health. We utilized a randomized controlled design across three family shelters to evaluate the program's effectiveness with 24 dyads assigned to the intervention compared to 21 dyads in care-as-usual. Dyads were randomized by round at each site to account for shelter effects. We used path analysis to illustrate change over time and in relation to intervention assignment.

DOES A PERINATAL PARENTING INTERVENTION WORK FOR FATHERS? A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Fathers are increasingly expected to contribute to their parenting role at the transition to parenthood; however, many fathers experience mental health problems during this time. Parenting support for new fathers is limited, and research often only includes the mothers in intervention studies. Clear evidence for parenting programs for fathers has not yet been established. This study evaluated the effects of a parenting intervention (Baby Triple P) on fathers who were expecting their first baby. The design was a randomized controlled trial comparing Baby Triple P with care as usual over three time points (pregnancy, 10 weeks' postbirth, and 6 months' postbirth) for 112 fathers living in Brisbane, Australia. The primary outcomes included paternal psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, and stress and several secondary measures. No significant intervention effects for Baby Triple P were found at either post- or follow-up assessments. Fathers in both groups reported significant increases in their parenting confidence and self-efficacy. The results indicate no conclusive evidence for the effectiveness of Baby Triple P for new fathers. Future research using a sample with greater likelihood of experiencing problems at the transition to parenthood is needed as is offering more tailored need-based support to obtain substantial evidence for this preventative parenting program.