Mentalization-Based Parenting Program for Child Maltreatment Prevention: A Pre-Post Study of 12-Week Lighthouse Group
Lina Gervinskaitė-Paulaitienė1, Gerry Byrne2, Rasa Barkauskienė1
1Institute of Psychology, Vilnius University, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania.
Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 28, 2023
Summary
The Lighthouse Parenting Program improved parental mentalization and family adjustment while reducing coercive parenting. This 12-week intervention shows promise for preventing child maltreatment in at-risk families.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Child Development
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parenting challenges can stem from difficulties in mentalization, impacting parent-child relationships.
- Child maltreatment prevention requires interventions that enhance parental reflective functioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the 12-week group-based Lighthouse Parenting Program.
- To assess the program's impact on parental mentalization, parenting practices, and family adjustment.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 101 parents (82 mothers, 19 fathers) participated in the 12-week program.
- Pre- and post-intervention assessments utilized the Parent and Family Adjustment Scale and the Mentalization Scale.
- Parental feedback was collected post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements were observed in mentalization, parental adjustment, and family functioning.
- Coercive parenting practices showed a notable decrease following the intervention.
- Parents reported positive feedback on the program's helpfulness.
Conclusions:
- The Lighthouse Parenting Program demonstrates preliminary effectiveness in enhancing parental mentalization and family well-being.
- The intervention offers a promising approach for child maltreatment prevention among parents facing relational or mental health challenges.
Keywords:
child maltreatment preventionmentalization-based interventionparent groupparenting programprevention of adverse childhood experiencesMore Related Videos
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