Criando Niños Con Cariño : Primary Care-Based Group Parenting Program Adaptation and Pilot

This study culturally adapted and piloted a primary care-based group parenting program (Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement in Primary Care, PriCARE) for Spanish-speaking, Hispanic parents of 2- to 6-year-old children.

The process was informed by the cultural adaptation literature, expert consultation, and focus group data from 18 previous PriCARE, eligible Cariño , and initial Cariño test participants. As adaptations were made, an implementation framework was applied to systematically record all changes. Finally, parents of children aged 2 to 6 years participated in the Cariño pilot study (n = 32). Enrollment and attendance data were used to examine feasibility, and the Therapy Attitude Inventory (TAI) was administered postintervention to measure acceptability.

Most adaptations were minor changes to make the adapted program, Criando Niños con Cariño , more appropriate, applicable, or acceptable. Some changes required reframing Cariño concepts (e.g., child-led play) or incorporating new concepts (e.g., respeto , armonía , and educación ) to better align Cariño goals with parents' values. Among the 121 dyads invited to participate in the Cariño pilot study, 52 (43%) enrolled. Among the 52 enrolled, 32 (62%) attended at least 4 of the 6 sessions and reported high satisfaction on the TAI (mean 47/50, range 33-50).

Cariño is the result of a rigorous adaption process and incorporates multiple changes to ensure the translation reflects the intended meaning and to reframe the program goals and concepts in a culturally congruent manner. Pilot data suggest Cariño is feasible and acceptable to parents.