Who Benefits Most from the Family Education and Support Program in Cape Verde? A Cluster Analysis

Area of Science:

• Child Development
• Parenting Interventions
• Psychology

Background:

• Parenting programs are crucial for child development and quality of life.
• Effective programs enhance parental skills and prevent developmental issues.
• The Family Education and Support Program (FAF) was implemented in Cape Verde.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of the FAF program on parental educational practices.
• To assess changes in perceived parental efficacy and attitudes/beliefs.
• To understand the program's effects on Cape Verdean parents.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-postest design was used with 37 participants.
• Evaluated dimensions included parental competence, practices, attitudes, beliefs, mental health, and child quality of life.
• Cluster analysis identified distinct participant groups.

Main Results:

• Both identified groups showed benefits from the FAF program.
• Cluster 1 demonstrated significant gains in parental efficacy, satisfaction, expectations, affection, support, and reactivity.
• Cluster 2 showed greater improvements in regulation and reactivity.

Conclusions:

• The FAF intervention effectively increased positive parenting practices.
• Participant responses varied, with some benefiting more than others.
• Findings offer insights for professionals and researchers in optimizing parenting interventions.