Parents' interest in resources to address their child's behavioral health through primary care

Area of Science:

• Pediatric primary care
• Child and adolescent behavioral health
• Health services research

Background:

• Primary care settings are crucial for identifying and addressing children's behavioral health needs.
• There is a growing demand for accessible parenting support and behavioral health resources.
• Integrating resources into primary care can improve early intervention and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess parental interest in various primary care-based resources for children's behavioral health.
• To identify predictors of parental interest in these resources.
• To explore the potential for expanding behavioral health support within pediatric clinics.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 264 parents of children aged 3-11 years at an urban pediatric clinic.
• Parents reported demographics and completed the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17) for their child's behavioral health.
• Interest in specific behavioral resources (e.g., parenting classes, online videos) was measured, and multiple regression was used to analyze predictors.

Main Results:

• A significant majority of parents (82%) expressed interest in at least one behavioral health resource.
• Online videos and resources were the most sought-after (64% interest).
• Higher scores on the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17) correlated positively with increased interest in resources, with 20% screening positive for concerns.

Conclusions:

• Parental interest in behavioral health resources is substantial, extending beyond those with formally identified concerns.
• Primary care is a viable venue for delivering parenting and behavioral health support.
• Further research is needed to optimize the delivery and targeting of these resources within primary care settings.