Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Parent Group Interventions for Primary School Children Aged 4-12 Years with...

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Child externalizing and internalizing problems are significant concerns for families and mental health professionals.
• Parent training group interventions are a common approach to address these behavioral and emotional difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy of parent training group interventions for child externalizing and internalizing problems.
• To assess the impact of these interventions on children aged 4-12 years.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search identified 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to calculate pooled treatment effect sizes.
• Study quality, treatment hours, and recipient characteristics were examined as potential moderators.

Main Results:

• Significant pooled effect sizes were found for reducing child externalizing problems (g = -0.38).
• A statistically significant, but smaller, effect size was observed for internalizing problems (g = -0.18).
• Study quality moderated treatment response for externalizing problems; hours and recipient type did not.

Conclusions:

• Parent group interventions are effective in ameliorating externalizing problems in children aged 4-12.
• The impact on internalizing symptoms was statistically significant but limited, suggesting a need for refined or alternative approaches.
• High-quality studies are crucial for maximizing treatment effectiveness in parent group interventions.