Feasibility and Acceptability of an ABCD Program for Child Development Among Skipped Families in Rural Thailand: A...

The study aimed to develop and examine the aesthetic, bedtime story, connecting with nature, and drawing (ABCD), community based, program for grandparents to help them promote their grandchildren's development.

The action research was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were utilized to gather information from healthcare providers, teachers, and community leaders to develop the ABCD program. This was followed by a critical evaluation of the program's activities, materials, and contents. The second phase was to examine the program's effectiveness. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used to study the effectiveness of the program among 20 dyads of grandparents and grandchildren.

All grandparents attended and completed the program. The grandparents' knowledge increased significantly (p = 0.024), and satisfaction with the program was high (X = 9, SD = 0.93) while children's development was not statistically different (p = 0.317).

The ABCD program was found to be feasible and acceptable to grandparents of skipped families to promote their grandchildren's development. The importance of healthcare providers, teachers, and community leaders in providing ABCD programs must also be recognized.